The US Open journey was promising for Jessica Pegula, but it didn’t last as long as she had hoped. Entering the semifinals in high spirits to lock horns with the world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, the pressure was always going to be immense. In the end , the American endured a gritty 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat to the Belarusian. As if the sting of that loss wasn’t enough, the aftermath threw her into an even stranger spotlight—having to confront a bizarre question about her family’s wealth.

The funny thing about press conferences is how quickly the topic can change. Just after wrapping up her quiz-a-quiz segment, and before she was about to leave, one journalist slipped in an unusual question for Pegula—asking whether the rumors were true that her family had arrived in Queens, New York City,

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