World's richest tennis player refuses to stay at same hotel as other Wimbledon stars

Jessica Pegula, who is considered the world’s richest tennis player, has refused to stay in the same hotel as her fellow players at Wimbledon.

The world no. 4 believes her choice of accommodation is crucial to success at a Grand Slam, with Wimbledon being no different, and so last year she opted not to stay at the official hotel of the competition.

Pegula is considered the world’s richest tennis player due to the wealth of her parents, Terry and Kim, boasting a combined net worth of £5.5 billion and owning a portfolio of sports franchises, including NFL side Buffalo Bills.

The 32-year-old has managed to forge an impressive sporting career, as she has secured 11 singles titles and seven doubles titles on the WTA Tour, yet she has yet to win a Grand Slam.

Her best-ever performance at a Grand Slam was in 2024, when she reached the final of the US Open, while she has only ever made it to the quarterfinal of Wimbledon, achieving this in 2023.

Pegula has stressed the importance of the right accommodation ahead of last year’s Wimbledon to only then suffer a shock first-round exit.

The American said: “We're either on the court or we're in the hotel room.

"It's such a big part of our lives, and as I've gotten older, a good hotel has become more of a priority.

"When you're 20 and you're just starting to travel, you're not complaining that much: you're more out there grinding and embracing life on tour. Once you hit 30 and kind of need a better pillow, that stuff honestly becomes really important."

Pegula believes it is important to be away from her competitors when challenging to lift a Grand Slam title, with this being key to her booking alternative accommodation for Wimbledon.

She said: “When you're staying at a tournament hotel, I feel like it's so mentally draining. It's not like anyone is a problem.

"But if you were going to work with someone, you wouldn't necessarily want to eat breakfast with them, practice with them, be in the gym, have lunch, go to the locker room and the physio room with them, and then see them in all the elevators and the hallways.

"I don't think people realise that shouldn't happen, not with the people you're working and competing with every single week. We play pretty much every week together, and so, all of that together, you're ready to lose it."

Despite opting to have her own accommodation at last year's Wimbledon, she crashed out in the first round to Elisabetta Cocciaretto. So, she will be hoping for a better run in the competition this year to help justify her decision and reasoning.