There was much more on the line for professional tennis player Jessica Pegula’s fourth-round Australian Open match on Monday than just advancing to the quarterfinals as a bet with competitor Madison Keys might have resulted in her wearing a Kansas City Chiefs jersey.
Fortunately for the daughter of Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula, she came out triumphant, beating the fellow American and defending Australian Open champion in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.
Before they went head-to-head, the two, who have a podcast together titled “The Player’s Box,” made a somewhat friendly wager − if Pegula won, Keys would have to try a bite of Pegula’s Thanksgiving apple pie recipe, which includes melted cheddar cheese on top, and if Keys advanced, Pegula would have to don a Travis Kelce/Taylor Swift Chiefs jersey.
In her post-match news conference on Monday, Pegula said it was “extra motivation” because wearing the jersey would have been a “tough moment” for her.
“I saw Iva Jovic in the locker room before I went on and she was like, ‘if you lose, that’s way worse wearing the Chiefs jersey’,” Pegula said. “Yeah, she just has to eat a piece of pie, what is the big deal?”
Here’s what to know about Pegula’s Australian Open quarterfinal matchup.
Who is Jessica Pegula?
Pegula, 31, is the daughter of Buffalo Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula and was born in Buffalo on Feb. 24, 1994. She has four siblings, including two from her father’s previous marriage.
Jessica married Taylor Gahagen in October 2021 on the Biltmore Estate and the two reside in Boca Raton, Florida. Together, they have a foundation called A Lending Paw, which teaches rescue dogs to be service animals, and Gahagen serves as the vice president of Jessica’s skincare company Ready 24, which markets beauty products for people with active lifestyles.
How Jessica Pegula made it to the 2026 Australian Open quarterfinals
No. 6-seeded Pegula beat Anastasia Zakharova in the first round, McCartney Kessler in round two, Oksana Selekhmeteva in the third round, and No. 9 seed Keys in round four, all in straight sets.
This is her fourth quarterfinals here as she previously advanced this far in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Who will Jessica Pegula play in the 2026 Australian Open quarterfinals?
Pegula will play another American − No. 4 seed Amanda Anisimova − in the quarterfinals. Pegula has won two-of-three of their recent matchups but Anisimova beat the Buffalo native in straight sets in their most recent one at the Miami Invitational in 2025.
Anisimova, 24, beat Simona Waltert, Katerina Siniakova, Peyton Stearns and Wang Xinyu in straight sets to reach her first Australian Open quarterfinal. Anisimova advanced only to the fourth round of the tournament in 2019, 2022 and 2024.
How to watch Jessica Pegula’s quarterfinals round
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026
Time: TBD
Where: Melbourne Park in Australia
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN App
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Jessica Pegula avoids wearing a Chiefs jersey with Australian Open win
Reporting by Emily Barnes, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
