"Dafu" Pegula: India's New Meme Queen
Published: May 27, 2026 | ⏱️ 4 min read | 🇮🇳 Viral in India
🎾 Short Answer: Jessica Pegula went viral in India because a Chinese tennis star called her "Dafu" (Big Rich). Then a bad photoshop made her arm disappear. Twitter India can't stop laughing.
⚡ Quick Facts
- 📍 Viral Date: February 2026 (Podcast episode)
- 💰 Estimated Net Worth: $20 Million (Separate from billionaire parents) [Source]
- 🏆 Career Prize Money: ~$21.9 Million [Source: ESPN]
- 📈 WTA Ranking: World No. 5 (Singles) [Source: WTA]
- 👨👩👧 Family: Daughter of Buffalo Bills & Sabres owner (Terry Pegula)
Jessica Pegula is a top tennis star. She is also very rich. Her dad owns NFL and NHL teams. 🏈
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But right now, India loves her for a different reason. A funny name. And a missing arm in a photo!
Let me tell you why Twitter India is going crazy.
🤔 Why is Jessica Pegula called "Dafu" in Asia?
🎤 Short Answer: "Dafu" means "Big Rich" in Chinese. Chinese star Zheng Qinwen gave her this name on a podcast. Asian fans love it because Pegula is rich but works very hard. The name went viral instantly.
The story started on a podcast. Jessica Pegula hosts a show called "The Player's Box".
One day, Chinese star Zheng Qinwen joined the show. Zheng told a funny story. She said fans in China call Pegula "Dafu".
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"Dafu" means "Big Rich". Why? Because Jessica's family is super rich. But Zheng explained it in a sweet way. She said fans love that Pegula works so hard even though she does not need money. [Source: Tennis World USA]
Indian Twitter picked this up very fast. Memes started flooding feeds. "Dafu" became a trending vibe.
🖼️ What happened to her arm in the viral photo?
📸 Short Answer: In Feb 2026, the WTA posted a bad photoshop of Pegula. Her waist was too tiny. And her arm was missing! Pegula asked on Instagram, "Wtf happened to my body?" The funny post got millions of views.
The "Dafu" name was not the only viral moment. There was also a funny photo fail.
Before a big final in Dubai, the WTA posted a picture. In the picture, Jessica's waist was very very tiny. Parts of her arm were missing. It looked like magic. 🔮
Jessica saw the photo and laughed. She wrote on Instagram: "Wtf happened to my body?" Then on X (Twitter), she joked: "Thank you for giving me the waist of my dreams but I think pieces of my arm are also missing." [Source: Times of India]
Fans loved her attitude. They said, "She is so real." The photo went viral in India too.
| Tournament (2026) | Result | Viral Moment |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai Championships | 🏆 Champion (Beat Svitolina) | "Missing Arm" Photoshop Fail |
| Charleston Open | 🏆 Champion (2nd title of 2026) | WTA named wrong tournament |
| French Open | ⚔️ Currently Playing (May 26) | "Dafu" nickname trending again |
🧊 The "No Ice" rant that broke Twitter
Before the photo and the nickname, Pegula went viral for complaining about hotels.
She was on a podcast called "Nothing Major". She started listing small problems. She said, "The pillows are like paper towels." She also said, "If you ask for ice, they give you one ice cube." [Source: Arizona Sports Fans]
Other tennis stars like Taylor Fritz and Victoria Azarenka joined in. Everyone agreed. Traveling for tennis is hard!
Indian fans found this very relatable. They said, "Same problem in Indian hotels!"
🤯 My Take (Original Opinion):
Jessica Pegula is the most "un-billionaire" athlete ever. Most rich kids hide. She posts her own bad photoshops and complains about missing ice. This honesty is why normal fans—especially in India—love her. She feels like a friend, not a princess.
📢 Will Jessica notice Indian fans?
Jessica is playing the French Open right now. She is the 5th seed. If Indian fans keep tweeting "Dafu", she might reply. She loves fan interactions.
So keep sharing the memes. Keep talking about the missing arm. And next time you see a bad hotel pillow, remember: Jessica Pegula feels your pain. 🫡
Sources: Times of India, ESPN, EssentiallySports, Tennis World USA, WTA Official