It’s not easy being a tennis parent and watching your child’s high pressure matches. But for billionaire sports mogul and father of Jessica Pegula, Terry Pegula, the nerves aren’t the only thing that have kept him from his daughter’s matches.

As Pegula gets ready to take on Oksana Selekhmeteva at the Australian Open, she’ll be doing it without her father’s physical support in the stands.

When asked if he might start speaking to the media more often in a recent presser he revealed, “I think that’s a possibility in the future. I can’t even go watch my daughter play tennis.”

Terry Pegula has had a hectic few weeks after his team, the Buffalo Bills were knocked out of the NFL playoffs. The team then made the shocking decision to fire head coach Sean McDermott, putting them in search of a new leader. So, earlier this week, Terry faced reporters to address the turmoil surrounding the Bills in a rare public appearance.

There, he didn’t shy away from tough subjects, talking openly about the Bills’ painful loss to the Denver Broncos and the decision to move on from Sean McDermott. But in a quieter, more emotional moment, he also opened up about how little he’s been able to attend Jessica’s matches since she turned pro in 2009.

“She’s got to No. 3 in the world, and I’ve been to like two of her matches in the last four years. We have issues in the family, but I can see me being more available in the future,” the Buffalo Bills owner said.

However, Jessica Pegula has spoken openly about her relationship with Terry, saying he played a big role in shaping her career, even with all of his business commitments.

During an appearance on Tennis Insider Club with Caroline Garcia, she once explained, “I mean, my dad was definitely more of the crazy one and he definitely put pressure on me, but also, I wanted it and I liked it.”

And in a September 2021 interview on the Bills Pod Squad podcast, where she appeared with her mom, Kim, Pegula she made a funny confession. While thanking her dad for his support, she said, “Dad and I are like oil and water on the tennis court, it does not mix well. But he definitely always pushed me to do better.”

While Jessica Pegula’s billionaire dad pushed her to be better, her mom, Kim, took a more hands-on role in keeping her fit and healthy. Last year, Kim told ESPN she once questioned her daughter’s determination, saying, “She doesn’t have to do this, and her life would be so much easier if she didn’t. But it’s because she loves this sport and she’s truly doing it for herself.”

Even though her parents have played a big part in her career, they usually don’t watch her matches. Interestingly, Pegula has previously shared a surprising reason why her parents avoid sitting in the stands during her matches.

The real reason Jessica Pegula’s parents don’t watch her play

While Jessica Pegula’s parents have played a huge role in her success, they’re rarely seen watching her matches from the stands. They do follow her on TV, though. The main reason they avoid being in the stadium is simple: they get too nervous.

Talking about it once, “He [her father] just tells me ‘good job.’ He likes to give his little recap of the match or what the opponent was doing. He might enjoy watching at home. She [her mother] never watched my matches before, because she got too nervous,” Pegula explained. 

Even without her parents in the crowd, Jessica Pegula will be hoping local fans can lift her as she takes on Oksana Selekhmeteva in the third round tonight. The match is set to start at 6:30 p.m. ET at Margaret Court Arena, instead of the original 7:30 p.m. time.

The change was made as the tournament rescheduled and moved some matches to covered courts to provide more shade. A ball girl and some fans have already had medical emergencies because of the heat. Everyone will be hoping both players can get through the match safely.