Jessica Pegula Family Tree: The Story Behind Tennis's Billionaire Daughter

Jessica Pegula, born 24 February 1994 in Buffalo, New York, USA, is a US tennis player and 2024 US Open finalist — one of the highest-ranked Americans in women's tennis, and daughter of Terry Pegula, the billionaire owner of the Buffalo Bills (NFL) and Buffalo Sabres (NHL).

The Family's Roots: A Buffalo Billionaire Sports Family

The Pegula family is one of the most-prominent American sports-owning families.

Her Parents

Father: Terry Pegula, born 1951 — Pennsylvania oil-and-gas billionaire (made his fortune via fracking); owner of the Buffalo Bills (NFL) since 2014 and the Buffalo Sabres (NHL) since 2011.

Mother: Kim Pegula (born 1968) — Korean-American; born in Seoul and adopted by an American family at age 5; was president of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres until a 2022 cardiac arrest that left her with brain damage. She has since stepped back from public roles.

Her Siblings

Laura Pegula — Jessica's elder half-sister (from Terry's first marriage).

Michael Pegula — Jessica's elder half-brother (from Terry's first marriage).

Kelly Pegula, born 1996 — Jessica's younger full-sister.

Matthew Pegula, born 2001 — Jessica's younger full-brother.

Her Husband: Taylor Gahagen

Taylor Gahagen — Jessica's husband; works for Pegula Sports & Entertainment. They married in 2017.

The Pegula Family Tree at a Glance

Family Origins: Buffalo, New York; billionaire sports-owning family.

Father: Terry Pegula — oil-and-gas billionaire; Buffalo Bills + Sabres owner.

Mother: Kim Pegula — Korean-American (adopted to US at age 5); former Bills/Sabres president; suffered 2022 cardiac arrest.

Siblings: Laura and Michael (Terry's first marriage); Kelly (b. 1996); Matthew (b. 2001).

Husband: Taylor Gahagen (m. 2017; Pegula Sports executive).

Jessica Pegula:

  • Born 24 February 1994, Buffalo
  • Tennis from age 7
  • WTA pro debut 2009; top-100 by 2019
  • Grand Slam finals: US Open 2024 runner-up (lost to Sabalenka)
  • Grand Slam quarter-finals: AO 2021, 2022, 2023; French Open 2022; US Open 2022, 2023
  • WTA Finals: runner-up 2023; semi-finalist 2024
  • WTA No. 3 career high
  • Often described as the "highest-ranked tennis player in history" by family net worth, given Terry Pegula's wealth

What the Pegula Family Story Teaches Us

A billionaire father who owns two major US sports franchises. A Korean-American adopted mother who built and ran the sports business empire — and survived a 2022 cardiac arrest. Four siblings. A husband working in the family business. A career as one of the rare tennis pros from extreme wealth who achieved top-10 ranking on athletic merit.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Pegula story carries the same lesson. Family infrastructure can enable a career but doesn't deliver the results. Jessica's US Open final is on the same tree as the Buffalo Bills, but the family wealth doesn't appear on her ATP rankings calculation. Write down what the family inherited — and what each member then had to do themselves.

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