Beyond on-court prowess, form, and momentum, a player’s confidence can often be lifted by the presence of family, even when they have their own sets of challenges. Such was the case in Jessica Pegula’s US Open campaign, where her mother, Kim Pegula, who has been recovering from a cardiac arrest suffered in 2022, was courtside to cheer her on.
With the hopes of the home crowd resting on her shoulders, the American has risen to the occasion, marching into the semifinals of the 2025 US Open. While her form has been instrumental in Flushing Meadows, her mother’s presence has also provided an added source of strength and belief.
Jessica Pegula’s Mother, Kim Pegula, Shows Up at the US Open Amid Cardiac Arrest Recovery
Pegula’s campaign at Flushing Meadows has been seamless, with the 31-year-old yet to drop a set. She maintained that dominance in the quarterfinals, defeating Barbora Krejčíková 6-3, 6-3 to secure her place in the last four.
The Czech appeared out of rhythm, troubled by unforced errors. She finished with 24, including seven double faults, compared to just 14 winners. Pegula, despite 20 unforced errors of her own, produced 17 winners, which proved crucial in her victory.
In fact, with her mother, Kim, watching from the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Jessica found the support that fueled her on-court resilience. The American recently revealed that her mother was present at her last two matches at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
And she was at my last two matches https://t.co/WaSRBvFlkW
— Jessie Pegula (@JPegula) September 2, 2025
Jessica was born into a billionaire family, and her parents, Terry and Kim Pegula, own the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. One of the most alarming moments in Pegula’s life occurred nearly three years ago, when her mother suffered a cardiac arrest while she was away.
Returning home from her 2022 French Open campaign, Pegula received a call from her sister, Kelly, informing her that their mother had been rushed to a nearby medical facility following a sudden cardiac emergency.
Fortunately, Kelly’s prompt and decisive action proved critical. She administered CPR until the ambulance arrived, after which the paramedics were able to restore their mother’s heartbeat.
How Tough Was Kim Pegula’s Recovery for Jessica Pegula and Family?
That was an exceptionally challenging period for the Pegula family, as Jessica revealed in an interview with The Players’ Tribune. She recounted spending nearly two weeks at the hospital after her mother’s cardiac arrest, managing shifts, supporting one another, and urging her father to rest, though he remained at her mother’s side for most of the time.
“We lived in that hospital for basically two weeks. We took shifts, we brought each other food, we knew all the nurses and doctors, we even knew their schedules. We had to force my dad to go home and sleep, but most of the time he didn’t. He didn’t want to go back to their house unless my mom was back with him,” she said.
Fortunately, Kim showed gradual improvement and was discharged from the ICU after a week. In the interview, Jessica explained that while her mother is recovering, she still experiences notable expressive aphasia and memory difficulties.
“My mom is still in recovery. She is dealing with significant expressive aphasia and significant memory issues. She can read, write, and understand pretty well, but she has trouble finding the words to respond. It is hard to deal with and it takes a lot of patience to communicate with her, but I thank God every day that we can still communicate with her at all,” she added.
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Nearly three years have passed since the incident, and despite its severity, Kim remained resilient, overcoming the challenges while standing by her daughter, who would go on to face defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open semifinals.
The rematch of last year’s US Open final promises a tough challenge for the World No. 4, who trails Sabalenka 2-7 in their head-to-head series. Still, the support of the home crowd is expected to provide a significant boost against the World No. 1.
