'No, I don't have a butler', says billionaire's daughter Pegula

Jessica Pegula says she finds it "annoying" and "outrageous" that fans believe she has servants waiting on her hand and foot just because her father is a multi-billionaire sports mogul.

American star Pegula is an accomplished professional tennis player in her own right, and on Monday showed off her credentials by reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open.

However, the 30-year-old has found it almost impossible to separate her fortunes from those of father Terry Pegula, who owns the Buffalo Bills NFL team and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres.

Forbes estimates the oil magnate's net worth to be $7.7 billion.

"I did some media thing the other day. They were, like, 'what's the most annoying thing?'," explained sixth-ranked Pegula who has made almost $15 million from her on-court career, which has also yielded six titles.

"It's that people think I have a butler, that I get chauffeured around, I have a private limo and that I fly private everywhere. I'm definitely not like that."

She added: "It's a little annoying, but honestly, I just think it's kind of funny because I don't really even know anyone that lives like that. It's outrageous."

Fans' curiosity into her private life was piqued last week when she shared images of herself opting for a New York subway train rather than a car, in order to beat Manhattan's clogged roads.

Pegula's fellow quarterfinalist Emma Navarro can empathize.

The 22-year-old New Yorker, who will play her first US Open quarterfinal on Tuesday, is the daughter of former Citigroup vice-president Ben Navarro, the founder of Sherman Financial Group,

His fortune is estimated by Forbes to be $1.5 billion.

Privately-educated Navarro is ranked No 12 in the world and made the US Open quarterfinals by defeating defending champion Coco Gauff.

So far, she has made $2.5 million in her fledgling playing career and has one professional title to her name.

"I have to give a lot of credit to my dad. He's probably the smartest guy I know, and has dropped a lot of knowledge and wisdom on my siblings and I over the years," said Navarro in a recent interview.

It is possible for Pegula and Navarro to meet in Saturday's US Open final, as they are on opposite sides of the draw.

Navarro faces Spain's Paula Badosa in her quarterfinal on Tuesday with Pegula tackling world No 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland, who demolished Liudmila Samsonova of Russia 6-4, 6-1 on Wednesday.

AFP