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Serena Williams' former coach Rick Macci has backed Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro, the billionaire tennis players who often get criticized for their wealthy backgrounds. At the recently concluded 2024 US Open, Pegula faced a final-round defeat at the hands of Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka, while Navarro lost to Sabalenka in the semi-finals.
Besides their stunning tennis skills, the US players have gained attention for their wealthy backgrounds. Jessica Pegula is the daughter of the famous petroleum engineer and owner of Buffalo Bills, Terry Pegula. Navarro's father Benjamin Navarro is the founder and chief executive officer of Sherman Financial Group.
As heiresses of their billionaire fathers, the players have received backlash from players and fans, who claimed that their talent is influenced by money. But Rick Macci, Serena Williams' former coach, highlighted that their 'ethics' and 'attitude' go beyond financial privilege.
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"Pegula and Navarro being world class has ZERO to do with the ZEROS the parents have supported them with. The calming skills the work ethic the movement and life lessons of gratitude and right attitude goes farther than the money you spend to chase greatness. @jessicapegula16 @EmmaNavarro98," Macci's X post read.
Another of his X posts read:
"Having a lot of money gives YOU an opportunity. What YOU do with that opportunity determines how much money you might make someday."
A while ago, Pegula faced backlash from a Canadian tennis player, Genie Bouchard, who found the former's US Open loss hilarious since she couldn't buy the win.
"Money can’t buy a US Open final lol," Bouchard wrote on X.
At the 2024 US Open, Pegula and Navarro advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Iga Swiatek and Paula Badosa in straight sets, respectively. Though Emma Navarro lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, Jessica Pegula advanced to the final after trouncing Karolina Muchova but lost in straight sets to the Belarusian.
Jessica Pegula found the billionaire heiress-related assumptions about her 'annoying'
Terry Pegula, who is worth $7.7 billion, has been supportive of his daughter's endeavors. He was in attendance at the 2024 US Open in support of Jessica Pegula and beamed in pride after her semi-final win.
In a previous conversation, the World No. 3 revealed that the assumptions made about her based on her father's success were 'annoying'.
"I did some media thing the other day. They were, like, What's the most annoying thing? It's that people think I have a butler, that I get chauffeured around. I have a private limo, that I fly private everywhere. I'm definitely not like that. It's kind of funny because I don't really even know anyone that lives like that. It's outrageous," she told to Agence France Presse. (as reported by CBS News)
According to Forbes, Ben Navarro is worth an estimated $1.5 billion. He is also the owner of a WTA tour event, Charleston Open.
