Billionaire tennis star Jessica Pegula has revealed she is looking to retire within the next “two or three years”. Pegula, dubbed the world’s richest tennis player, has won nine singles titles on the WTA Tour and is currently ranked No. 4 in the world.Pegula has endured a tough and inconsistent season but has still won three titles, making her the oldest player currently inside the top 10. But she still has one specific tournament in mind – the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles – which she hopes could be her swan song.
She recently told Caroline Garcia on the Tennis Insider Club: “I don’t [have plans to follow the Williams sisters’ example], I would definitely not be playing at 35, definitely not.
“I think that’s where I for sure have to stop. I think at 31? Yeah, I think it would be cool maybe like to try and make the Olympics, because it’s in LA in a couple years.
“Three years, that’s a long time, though. I’m counting technically like two years, because then you qualify, so I’ll probably have an idea by then if I’m in or not. So we’ll make it sound like two, it’s three.”
Given that she is the daughter of businessman Terry Pegula and stands to inherit some of his £5.6billion fortune, it is unlikely that she will continue playing out of any financial incentive. Terry, ranked as the 418th wealthiest person by Forbes, amassed his wealth through his ventures in the oil and gas industry.
The billionaire also owns sporting giants Buffalo Bills (NFL) and Buffalo Sabres (NHL). Among the family’s extravagant possessions are a £58million superyacht named Top Five II and a private jet, which Jessica also uses.
Meanwhile, in terms of Pegula’s own wealth she’s earned on the tennis court, she has amassed almost £14m from her playing career.
Pegula’s decision to play until the next Olympics was thanks to her former doubles partner and compatriot Coco Gauff. Having reached No. 1 in the doubles rankings together and represented America at last year’s Paris Olympics, 21-year-old Gauff is insistent that the pair have to play together in LA.
Pegula explained: “I was talking to Coco, and she was like, ‘You can play until LA.’ She was mad at me because I was like, yeah, maybe a couple more years.
