The Player's Box – Episode 16
Title: Group Chat Who Said It, Exhibitions & Missing Holidays
Date: December 9, 2025
Hosts: Madison Keys (Maddie), Jessica Pegula (Jess), Jennifer Brady (Jenny), Desirae Krawczyk (Des)
Episode Overview
This lighthearted and candid episode of The Player’s Box gives listeners an inside look at the off-court dynamics of four top tennis players. The group dives into their latest off-court mishaps, discusses the sacrifices athletes make—especially around the holidays, gets into a hilarious “Group Chat: Who Said It?” game, recaps a trip to Buffalo, and answers fan questions about tennis life and personalities. Listeners are treated to genuine camaraderie, tennis travel stories, confessions (apple pie with cheese?), and behind-the-scenes athlete banter.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Unforced Errors & Winners of the Week
Starts at 01:10
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Jess’s Mix-Up: Jess tries to adjust the podcast time for a photoshoot, only to realize her mix-up after rescheduling:
“I messed that up.” (Jess, 02:08)
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Maddie’s Court Mishap: Maddie gets hit on the chest while volleying:
“Tried to play it off...but it hurt so bad.” (Maddie, 02:37)
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Des’s DMV Success: Des celebrates passing her California license renewal, after revising with Quizlet and nervously giggling at questions about honking (03:10).
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Jenny’s Puppy Pee Incident: Jenny recounts getting peed on by a puppy at Jess's charity gala and desperately trying to mask the odor with perfume:
“It literally just reeked of pee... She sprayed that spot, like, three times.” (Jenny, 05:05)
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Honorable Mention Unforced Error:
Serena Williams gets added back to the anti-doping pool, triggering media frenzy about a comeback, quickly denied by Serena herself:“The unforced error goes to the tennis media that... totally ran with it.” (Maddie, 07:47)
Notable Quote:
“At least I didn’t walk around a party smelling like dog pee.” (Maddie, 06:38)
2. Pie Gate: Apple Pie with Cheese?
Starts at 11:30
- Jess confesses to eating cheddar cheese on apple pie, insisting it's a Canadian thing ("It’s me, Jess. I eat cheese on my apple pie. My grandparents are Canadian, and they told me it's a Canadian thing..." – 11:54).
- The team debates microwave methods, cheddar vs. Kraft Singles, and poll who seems most likely to eat it (Jenny carries the suspicion, but it's all Jess).
- Fan and group reactions range from “diabolical” to “tasty."
Notable Quote:
“I understand if people think it’s diabolical, which is mostly everybody.” (Jess, 12:59)
3. Holiday Sacrifices in Pro Sports
Starts at 16:25
- The group reacts to Erin Andrews’ viral comments about missing holidays for sports coverage.
- They all share personal experiences of missing holidays, weddings, proms, and precious milestones due to tournament schedules:
- Jenny: “I've missed a lot of weddings... you’re in Italy and someone's getting married in California. It's like—don’t think I’ll be able to make that one.”
- Maddie: “I’ve basically given my friends... here are the six dates I can make work.”
- Des: Shares a personal story about losing a best friend after missing her wedding due to the French Open ("I just was, like, crying over it because I didn’t know what to do..." – 22:04).
- Christmas is by far the hardest holiday to miss. Stories are shared of flying on or over Christmas, spending it alone, sad flights, and makeshift holiday gatherings in Australia or with host families.
- They note how missing major life events becomes somewhat normalized, but the camaraderie and understanding among sporting friends helps.
“You do get desensitized to it because this is your job. You can't miss a tournament.” (Des, 29:02) "You're more surprised when you actually can make something work." (Maddie, 29:08)
4. Buffalo Recap: Snow, Wings, and Puppy Pee
Starts at 29:54
- The gang recounts their recent trip to Buffalo for Jess’s charity gala.
- Jenny’s impressive chicken wing technique becomes legendary:
“Jenny was really cleaning these wings off... gnawing on this wing and cleaning it.” (Des, 31:06)
- The wing debate: best spots (Eddie Brady’s, Duff's), blue cheese vs. ranch, and giving Buffalo wings a solid 8.1/10 (Jenny).
- Highlight: Attending the Sabres hockey game (despite the loss) and enduring a major snowstorm.
- Jenny: “The more I thought about [the wings] over the last few days, I was like, those wings were really good. And my favorite was the medium. And I am a blue cheese girl. Ranch is disgusting. Hot take."
- Cake overload: Leftover desserts from Friendsgiving lead to sampling everything (33:55).
5. GAME: Group Chat – Who Said It?
Starts at 38:40
A rapid-fire, inside-joke-filled segment where the hosts guess who wrote hilariously out-of-context lines from their group chat, including:
- “We told Maddie we had it taken care of. We do not.” (Jess)
- “I want to see my hamster spin.” (Jenny, about her brain trying to remember – 41:04)
- “In her defense, she chugged her cortado in two sips.” (Maddie, about Jenny – 42:02)
- “You Googling it doesn’t make it better.” (Jess, trying to defend cheese on pie – 42:26)
- “I love how Jenny’s stories are never exaggerated. They sound like they would be, but it’s literally exactly how it happens.” (Jess, about Jenny – 43:06)
- “I think we should just let Jenny yell next, like she does when she’s listening to the radio.” (Maddie, re: Jenny skipping songs after 10 seconds – 50:07)
- “It’s a guideline, Jennifer.” (Des, when Jenny insists on sticking to time limits – 51:19)
- “She looked like one of those faces that is blurred out because she didn’t sign the release form.” (Jenny, about Jess’s laggy video – 52:52)
(Segment is full of in-jokes and classic tennis road trip banter. Group chemistry shines.)
6. Upcoming Exhibitions
Starts at 55:45
- Maddie: Playing one exhibition in Charlotte vs. Venus Williams; Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe will play after. “I’m playing just the one exhibition this year. Kind of being a homebody, very excited...” (Maddie, 56:08)
- Jess: Added last minute to two exhibitions back-to-back with Amanda Anisimova, in New Jersey and at Marlins Field in Miami. Also, two local exhibitions:
"I swear, half these exhibitions I do are literally so, like, Taylor can play golf there. It's like a Christmas present." (Jess, 57:44)
- Discussion about arranging exos (usually via agents), making them fun yet competitive, and the fan expectation that players should try hard but keep it light. Jenny: “I mean, no, I definitely...I'm definitely, like, trying, I think.” (60:37)
Special Exhibition Mention: Sabalenka vs. Kyrgios (“Battle of The Sexes”)
Starts at 62:08
- Sabalenka gets a bigger court, Kyrgios a smaller one; both get one serve; best of three sets with a 10-point super tiebreak (62:58).
- Speculation on how competitive it will be.
- Anticipation for numerous year-end exhibitions.
7. Fan Q&A, Guess That Player, and ATP Comparisons
Starts at 68:52
- Maddie’s tennis riddle “retired at no.1,” “won majors on all surfaces,” and “gray dust after heat” stumps the group.
- Fan question: “Compare each of you to an ATP player.”
- Jenny: Matteo Berrettini ("because we have the same birthday and...smaller calves," 69:47).
- Jess: Mackenzie McDonald ("we hit very flat," 70:42).
- Group: Struggles to find direct ATP comparisons due to style differences, some detours into personality traits, and Jenny’s admiration for Marat Safin.
- Banter about shyness around favorites and in-jokes about Marat Safin making fun of Jenny in person.
8. Giveaway Tease and Closing
Starts at 65:03
- Discussion about potential podcast giveaways—wired headphones or a cheese-covered apple pie get joked about.
- Winners from last week’s “Who Am I” game revealed (Sonny Cartel).
- Listeners are urged to submit giveaway ideas and keep engaging.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- Jess on Apple Pie: “It’s me, Jess. I eat cheese on my apple pie.” (11:54)
- Maddie on Holiday Sacrifices: “You get desensitized...it comes with the territory.” (29:02)
- Jenny on Group Chat: “I want to see my hamster spin.” (41:04)
- Jenny on Eating Wings: "The more I thought about it, those wings were really good...my favorite was medium. Ranch is disgusting. Sorry." (34:52, 35:13)
- Des on Friendship and Tennis: "I lost a really...close family friend, and we lost our relationship because she had a wedding around the French Open...it was really sad." (22:04)
- Jess on Exhibitions: “Half these exhibitions I do are literally so, like, Taylor can play golf there. It’s like a Christmas present.” (57:44)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:10 – Hosts share weekly unforced errors/winners
- 06:03 – Jenny’s puppy accident at gala
- 07:15 – Serena comeback anti-doping pool confusion
- 11:30 – Cheese-on-apple-pie “Pie Gate” confession
- 16:25 – Holiday sacrifices, missing milestones, friendships
- 29:54 – Buffalo trip recap: snow, wings, and hockey
- 38:40 – Group chat “Who Said It?” guessing game
- 55:45 – Upcoming tennis exhibitions/exos
- 62:08 – Sabalenka vs. Kyrgios exhibition rules discussion
- 68:52 – “Who Am I?” player guessing and ATP comparison fan question
- 72:16 – Closing, reminders, and outro
Listener Takeaways
- Behind-the-scenes: Living as a top tennis pro means constant schedule conflicts with life events.
- On tour camaraderie: Shared travel, food, and mishaps shape strong bonds and inside jokes.
- Personality and style: The group’s banter is honest, relatable, and self-deprecating.
- Fan interactivity: The pod is highly responsive and interactive, inviting ongoing fan participation and feedback.
Final Notes
This episode is a must-listen for fans who want to experience the “real” side of life on the WTA Tour, loaded with stories, laughter, and quirky insights from four very down-to-earth stars.
Listeners can expect a mix of relatable misadventures, playful roast sessions, and warm, personal reflections on the sacrifices athletes make—all delivered in the hosts’ authentic, hilarious voices.
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