After a tough fight in the ATX Open finals on Sunday, tennis players McCartney Kessler, Zhang Shuai, Yue Yuan, and Anna Blinkova were gearing up for a daunting journey to their next destination: Indian Wells. They were in for a big surprise when Jessica Pegula came to their rescue.
Pegula, who had just secured a victory against fellow American Kessler with a 7–5, 6–2 win in the singles final in Austin, extended a generous offer. She invited the four players to hop on her private jet for a direct flight from Texas to California, easing their travel burdens significantly.
Ever considerate, the world number four patiently waited until the doubles final wrapped up—where Yue and Blinkova triumphed over Kessler and Shuai 3-6, 6-1, 10-4—ensuring everyone was ready to embark on the 1,263-mile journey together.
Had this opportunity not arisen, the players would have faced cumbersome travel involving layovers in Los Angeles or trips to major airports in Dallas and Houston. This would have left them with scarcely any time to unwind and gear up for their matches at Indian Wells starting on Wednesday.
“She could have left right after her singles final, but she is such a selfless and generous girl,” Zhang Shuai expressed on Instagram, clearly moved by Pegula’s kindness. “This message is not to show I took the jet, [I] just wanted to appreciate and transfer the love.”
Both Blinkova from Russia and China’s Yue echoed Zhang’s sentiments on Instagram, expressing their gratitude to Pegula. At 31, Pegula comes from a family known for owning the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, adding an interesting layer to her already fascinating story.
In the matchup lineup at Indian Wells, Blinkova is set to face Kessler in the first round, while Yue will go up against Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. Meanwhile, Pegula herself, seeded fourth, enjoys the luxury of a first-round bye, and Zhang is set to make her entry in the doubles event later in the competition.
