Jessica Pegula was asked for her thoughts on women playing longer matches (Image: Getty)
The world’s richest tennis star has claimed that some ATP players have been ‘throwing sets’ on purpose for tactical reasons. Jessica Pegula, who plays on the WTA Tour, is poised to inherit the fortune of her father, Terry, who is one of the richest businessmen in the United States after hitting the big time via investments in fracking. He also owns the Buffalo Bills and is estimated to be worth around £6.8billion.
Not content with simply being the daughter of a multi-billionaire, Pegula has forged a successful career in professional tennis. She is currently ranked fifth by the WTA and reached the final of the US Open in 2024. Never one to shy away from speaking her mind, the 32-year-old has been vocal about the possibility of women being made to play best-of-five-set matches in the future.
The change was recently proposed by former Australian Open boss Craig Tiley, who said that he would look to introduce the format from the quarter-finals onwards. He has since left that role to join the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
The idea has received a mixed response from the world’s top female players. Aryna Sabalenka has expressed her desire to see the format introduced, while Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina have voiced their opposition.
Pegula, the chair of a new WTA council, has confirmed her stance on the matter while also sharing what she claims to have heard from her male counterparts on the ATP Tour.
Speaking ahead of the Indian Wells Open, she said: « I mean, again, I said before I don’t really think we should have to. I’m honestly just not a massive fan of the three-out-of-five, even with the men.
« And even though I know that there have been amazing three-out-of-five matches, I do think in three-out-of-five matches there are also a lot of those where guys throw sets because they’re tired.
« If they get down a break, they tend to throw the set to get reset for the third set or the fourth set, whatever it is. They have told me that before.
Pegula believes some male players deliberately throw sets for tactical reasons (Image: Getty)
« They have to reserve their energy in different ways. You’re definitely managing your energy much different, from at least what I have been told from the guys, than you do two out of three.
« So I think that’s something. I think we have amazing female athletes that honestly I think we could do that. I don’t think it’s the fact that we can’t; I just don’t necessarily think that we should. »
Pegula also pointed out that the WTA calendar would need to be expanded to accommodate the new format, risking further discontent among players who are already fed up with the ever-tightening schedule.
« Just on that aspect, I don’t even know how you would schedule tournaments, » she added. « We’d have to add weeks. We can’t even get through the schedule now, so I’m not really sure for like a fan experience how that would really work.
« Would you really want to sit three out of five of a woman’s match, possibly go five, and then another five for a men’s match that you really wanted to see?
« I mean, that’s like ten hours of tennis, maybe not that long, but a lot of tennis sitting there as a fan. I don’t really know if that experience would be enjoyable.
« There are a lot of other variables that I don’t think sometimes people are thinking about, or maybe a fan doesn’t realise, because it would be a massive change. I don’t think it’s that we’re not capable, I just don’t really know if that’s the best thing for the sport. »
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