World’s richest tennis player drank beer to rush US Open drug testing process

28 August 2023 , 08:00

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Jessica Pegula drinks a can of Heineken while talking to the media

Jessica Pegula enters this year's US Open amongst the favourites for the women's singles crown - after making headlines for a bizarre way of speeding up the drug testing process when she was knocked out last year.

Pegula is considered the world's richest tennis player and athlete due to her family's net worth of around £5.1bn ($6.7 billion.) Pegula is ranked as the No. 3 tennis player in the world in singles competition.

Her run at a home Grand Slam concluded last year after she was defeated by Iga Swiatek 6-3 7-6(4) in the semi-finals of the US Open. After the defeat, the 28-year-old American began to sip on some Heineken as she fielded questions from the media.

Pegula then revealed that she was drinking the beer to initiate having to use the bathroom; that way, she could speed up the process of the drug test taken after the match. However, she also admitted that the beer's alcohol content helped absorb the loss's pain.

"I'm trying to pee for doping," Pegula said to the press. "Although it does help ease the loss!" She continued by expressing her pain from the loss and how it was challenging to find positivity during such a low moment.

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"I wish I could have done it here at my home Slam, but I guess not. I wish I didn't have to play Iga every quarter-final or Ash Barty, who seem to be the two people who don't really lose that often. "I mean, I had a great year at the Slams. I know there's still some tournaments left. I'm a little deflated right now. I just wish it would have been different tonight."

Jessica is the daughter of Terry and Kim Pegula, the family who owns the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the NFL's Buffalo Bills. They also own the Rochester Americans in the AHL and the National Lacrosse League's Buffalo Bandits and Rochester Knighthawks. The family also owns Pugula Sports and Entertainment, which houses all its sports entities into one asset. It is run by Kim, the company's President and CEO.

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Terry Pegula made his initial fortune in 1983 when he founded East Resources, a natural gas drilling company. He sold the company to Royal Dutch Shell for nearly $4.7 billion. While Jessica Pegula has won over £6.9m ($9 million) in tennis, her parent's riches soar her to the top of financial lists for athletes.

Despite the riches, Pegula told Vogue magazine that she faces challenges from critics who believe that her financial background is the only catalyst for her success. "I know what haters say: 'The only reason she's good is because she has money," said Pegula. "But for the most part, I think people have found that it's an interesting story. It's made me think, Okay - I'm not going to hide from this."

Pegula will take on Italian star Camila Giorgi in the first round of the US Open. The matchup will occur Monday, Aug. 28.

Rory Robinson