'Saved nine hours' - Billionaire heiress Jessica Pegula leaves fellow tennis stars stunned with private jet gesture

Jessica Pegula has come to the rescue of her fellow tennis stars.

The American has stepped in to take her peers to their next tournament on her private jet.

3 Jessica Pegula was praised for her incredible gesture by fellow players Credit: GETTY

The finalists at the ATX Open in Austin were spared a long car journey to California for Indian Wells following Sunday's action.

Pegula won the singles title in Austin by overcoming fellow American McCartney Kessler 7-5, 6-2.

Instead of leaving after her win, the American stayed for the doubles final where Kessler and partner Zhang Shuai lost to Yuan Yue and Anna Blinkova and offered to take them with her to Indian Wells on her jet.

It was a gesture that helped the players who were facing a quick turnaround ahead of the Indian Wells main draw that begins on Wednesday.

Zhang praised Pegula for her kindness on Instagram, explaining that she would otherwise have faced a late night layover in Los Angeles or trips to nearby airports in Dallas and Houston.

"You know she can leave away right after her singles final, but she is such a selfless and generous girl," Zhang wrote.

"This message is NOT to show I took the jet, just wanted to appreciate and transferring the love."

Blinkova reposted Zhang's post on her Instagram and thanked Pegula, who is ranked number four in the world.

Yue also sent her thanks to Pegula on social media for the private jet ride.

"Otherwise, we would all have been on the road for at least nine hours," she said.

3 One of her passengers thanked Pegula for the gesture Credit: @zhangshuai121 via Instagram

3 The American reached the US Open final last year Credit: GETTY

While Pegula has amassed her own riches through her career, having earned $17 million in prize money alone, she is the daughter of billionaires.

Her father Terry, 73, owns the Buffalo Bills in the NFL and NHL franchise the Buffalo Sabres.

The family's net worth is believed to be around £7.7bn, per Forbes.

This might explain her using a private jet, something which isn't exactly common on the tour, as even world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz was spotted flying commercial between tournaments.

Pegula enters Indian Wells as the fourth seed and therefore received a bye to the second round.

The 31-year-old will begin her sunshine double campaign by facing the winner of Peyton Stearns and Magda Linette.

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