Jessica Pegula has reached the business end of another US Open, and once again, the American finds herself within touching distance of the stage she has been chasing throughout her career.
The World No. 3 is set to face compatriot Emma Navarro in the quarterfinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium during Tuesday night’s session, with the match scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
It will be Pegula’s fourth US Open quarterfinal, and she will be looking to take another step toward a second consecutive semifinal appearance in New York. Standing in her way is Navarro, who returned to the quarterfinals after defeating Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets.
Away from the spotlight, however, Pegula’s biggest source of support has remained remarkably understated. Her husband, Taylor Gahagen, has been alongside her for years, with their relationship beginning through the same workplace that was at the center of Pegula’s family business empire.
Jessica Pegula and Taylor Gahagen: Where Their Story Began
Gahagen first entered Pegula’s professional orbit through Pegula Sports and Entertainment, the company owned by Jessica’s parents. He worked in corporate marketing and spent nearly a decade with the organization before eventually moving into the world of wealth management.
The professional relationship gradually developed into something more personal. Pegula and Gahagen began dating around 2015, although the couple has generally kept the details of their early relationship away from the public eye.
Their relationship eventually moved toward marriage. Gahagen proposed in 2019, and the couple originally planned to get married in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic forced them to postpone those plans by a year.
Pegula later explained that they simply decided to wait rather than allow the circumstances to overshadow their wedding.
The couple finally married in October 2021 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, surrounded by family, friends and several of Pegula’s fellow tennis players.
MORE:
- Jessica Pegula’s Net Worth, Career Earnings, and Endorsements
- Jessica Pegula’s Father Turned $7,500 Loan Into a Billion-Dollar Fortune
- Jessica Pegula’s Mom’s Brain Injury and Near-Death Experience
- Who Is Sitting in Jessica Pegula’s Box During US Open?
Who Is Taylor Gahagen?
Although Gahagen is best known publicly as Pegula’s husband, he has built a career of his own away from professional tennis.
Raised in upstate New York, Gahagen played baseball at SUNY Fredonia, where he studied business administration before completing an MBA at Canisius University. His professional background subsequently took him into marketing, corporate strategy and wealth management.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
His connection to tennis is therefore largely through Pegula rather than through a playing career of his own. Yet that has not stopped him from becoming an important sounding board for his wife.
Gahagen regularly attends Pegula’s matches and has even offered the occasional tactical suggestion despite not having a formal tennis coaching background. One of his recurring pieces of advice has become something of an inside joke between the couple: “slice more.”
More Than Just a Marriage
Pegula and Gahagen have also turned their shared interests into projects away from the tennis court.
The couple co-founded A Lending Paw, a nonprofit focused on rescuing dogs from shelters and helping train them as service animals. Their shared commitment to animal welfare has become one of the most visible aspects of their life together away from tennis.
Gahagen has also been involved with Pegula’s business ventures, including her active-lifestyle skincare company, Ready 24.
The couple’s personal life revolves heavily around their love of animals as well. They share their home with three rescue dogs, giving Pegula a familiar source of comfort whenever the demands of the WTA Tour become overwhelming.
Taylor Gahagen’s Role During Pegula’s Tennis Journey
For an athlete who spends much of the year moving between hotels, airports and tournament sites, having someone familiar in her corner has become increasingly valuable for Pegula.
Gahagen has remained a constant presence through some of the biggest moments of her career, including her breakthrough into the upper reaches of the rankings and her run to the 2024 US Open final.
That support now continues as Pegula attempts to go one step further in New York.
KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images
The American has already made history by reaching another US Open quarterfinal, but the challenge gets significantly tougher from here. Navarro is returning to the stage where she made her breakthrough in 2024, when she reached the semifinals in New York.
For Pegula, however, this is familiar territory. She has reached this stage of the tournament three times before, and after making the semifinals last year, she will be determined to ensure her latest deep run does not end here.
2026 US Open Essentials
- US Open Prize Money Breakdown: How Much Will Players Earn?
- Novak Djokovic Dealt Bad News After First Round Exit
- Carlos Alcaraz Wrist Injury: How One Mistake Risked His Chances
- Top 25 Highest-Paid Tennis Players by Career Earnings
