World's richest tennis player drank beer at US Open to speed up drug testing procedure

Jessica Pegula resorted to drinking a can of Heineken to speed up the drug testing process after her exit from the US Open in 2022. The Buffalo-born star had reached the quarter-finals of her home Grand Slam for the first time, where she was pitted against Poland's Iga Swiatek.

Despite Pegula's spirited performance, it was Swiatek who triumphed with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (4), eventually clinching the ultimate prize at Flushing Meadows by defeating Ons Jabeur in straight sets.

Pegula, considered the world's wealthiest tennis player due to her family's £5.5 billion fortune, has carved out an impressive career for herself. Following her stint in New York, Pegula was seen with a can of Heineken during her post-match press conference, confirming that she drank the lager to facilitate her regular doping test.

READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz's reaction to controversial US Open question says it all

READ MORE: Andy Murray's new sporting career goes from strength to strength with spot in £3.7m tournament

When a reporter commented: "I like the Heineken," the tennis ace replied: "I'm trying to pee for doping," but added: "Although it does help ease the loss!" After the exchange, she didn't shy away from expressing her disappointment over what was her third quarter-final exit in Grand Slams that year, reports the Express.

"I wish I could have done it here at my home Slam, but I guess not," she said. "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." Whilst she has cemented her position as one of the finest tennis stars on the planet in recent times, considerable attention has focused on her family's fortune, with her mum and dad, Terry and Kim Pegula, owning the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

The duo also possess the Rochester Americans in the AHL and the National Lacrosse League's Buffalo Bandits and Rochester Knighthawks. The family-owned Pegula Sports and Entertainment company encompasses the sports entities.

Despite her privileged upbringing, Pegula told Vogue magazine that she's acutely aware of the detractors who credit her tennis achievements to her family's financial position.

"I know what haters say, 'The only reason she's good is because she has money," she said. "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."

It was in New York last year when Pegula reached her first Grand Slam final but lost in straight sets to Aryna Sabalenka. Last month, Pegula competed in the US Open Mixed Doubles alongside Britain's Jack Draper as the pair reached the semi-finals of the tournament.

While they narrowly lost to the duo of Casper Ruud and Iga Swiatek, the American admitted she enjoyed teaming up with the 23-year-old. "Yeah, it was a lot of fun," she said after their elimination.

"We didn’t really know each other at all, but we got along really well. He’s very dry British humour, but I’m also very dry. So I think that’s why we got along very quickly, within the span of a couple days. And it was really fun getting to know him and his team. I was like, 'I’m Team Draper now, I’m behind you.' So it’s been really fun."

Draper was forced to retire from the US Open men's singles due to injury following his first-round win over Federico Agustin Gomez. Pegula insisted that the Brit is capable of beating the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as she added: "Unfortunately, obviously had to pull out. So I hope he can get healthy.

"Obviously, super talented, I feel like he’s probably up there with someone that can take out a Sinner or Alcaraz, but you’ve got to stay healthy. So I’m just hoping he gets healthy and comes back strong."