The Player’s Box - Bonus Episode: Why We Started The Player’s Box

Released: August 26, 2025
Hosts: Madison Keys (A), Jessica Pegula (B), Jennifer Brady (C), Desirae Krawczyk (D)

Overview

In their debut bonus episode, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk introduce "The Player’s Box," a candid podcast exploring the unfiltered, behind-the-scenes reality of life on and off the tennis court. The group delves into their motivations for starting a podcast, recounts hilarious travel and fan interaction stories, engages in playful banter, and answers fan questions with their characteristic humor and honesty.

Main Themes & Purpose

• Showcasing Female Athletes’ Perspectives: The hosts express a desire to offer more female voices in sports media, sharing their unique experiences in the professional tennis world.
• Friendship and Real Talk: The podcast aims to capture the energy of their group chat—part therapy, part inside jokes—and to invite listeners into their tight-knit dynamic.
• Unfiltered Access: "The Player’s Box" promises a mix of match breakdowns, candid travel tales, pop culture discussions, and Q&As, breaking down the barrier between fans and athletes.

“We think that we’re very funny and other people would like to listen to the things that we giggle about. And also, having a female perspective in the sport — I don’t think you hear a ton of that.” — Madison Keys (A) [00:35]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Origin Story of The Player’s Box

• From Group Chat to Podcast Studio:
  The idea for the show was born in their group chat, initially joked about as early as December 2023—well before similar male-led tennis podcasts emerged.

  • “We were actually joking about it for now almost two years… so I don’t want anyone to think that just because the four American guys started a podcast, we decided to hop on the bandwagon.” — Jennifer Brady (C) [03:06]

• Podcast as Group Therapy:

  • The friends liken their conversations to therapy sessions, with plans to let fans in on their off-the-court camaraderie.

Why This Podcast, Why Now?

• Breaking New Ground for Female Athletes:
  • Madison emphasizes the lack of tennis podcasts from women's perspectives.
  • The foursome is motivated by the success of male counterparts, hinting at some competitive spirit and playful rivalry.

“We finally actually did it. I will say the guys definitely motivated us. We were like, they can do it, we can do it.” — Jessica Pegula (B) [04:56]

Fan Interactions: Mishaps and Pet Peeves [05:27–14:51]

• Mistaken Identity Is Rampant:

  • Madison (frequently mistaken for Jessica):

    • “All year, everyone keeps saying that I’m Jessica, and I’m not. I’m actually Madison.” (A) [05:42–06:43]
    • Recounts a particularly awkward baggage claim incident at London airport.

  • Jennifer (mistaken for Maria Sakkari):

    • “I’m in Cincinnati in 2023, and … this lady comes up to me and she goes, ‘Maria, can I get a photo?’” — Jennifer Brady (C) [06:44]
    • Even after producing her credential, the fan insists, then immediately pivots for a Jennifer Brady photo.

• Height Surprises and Personal Boundaries:

  • All share stories of fans commenting on their height and mixing up the players due to TV appearances.

• Aggressive Fans and Personal Space:

  • Jessica tells of a fan in Hamburg who tried to kiss her on the cheek during what was meant to be a simple photo. (B) [12:10–12:51]
  • “Do you guys ever get the same fan that comes and takes pictures of you with you… like, you’ve had 15 photos with me? Like, what?” — Desirae Krawczyk (D) [12:52]

• Photo Etiquette Tips:
  The players urge fans to have their phones ready for quick pictures, echoing a “PSA” for smoother interactions.

  • “My other…pet peeve is when people ask for pictures and they don’t have the camera ready.” — Jessica Pegula (B) [11:07]

• Signing Odd Memorabilia and Potential eBay Flippers:

  • Jennifer: “I signed this one picture the other day, and it was so grainy... like, you don’t know who this is?” (C) [13:31]
  • The group jokes about fans trying to resell signed items for marginal profit.

Pop Culture Q&A: Taylor Swift Albums [15:15–17:43]

• Taylor Swift Fandom Divides:
  • Desirae is a proud “Reputation” and “1989” fan (“That’s two!” the group teases).
  • Jessica: “It’s 1989.” (B) [16:13]
  • Jennifer admits she is not a huge Swifty but recognizes “Lavender Haze” from radio play.
  • Madison loved “Red” as a teen, but hasn’t kept up with newer albums.

Wildest Hotel Story [18:48–21:48]

• A Truly Unsettling Room Intrusion:

  • Jennifer wins this segment with a harrowing story:
    • In Rome, she wakes to find a strange man standing over her in her hotel room at 3:00am. She chases him out, calls security (who doubt her story), then barricades the door and tries to sleep—only then realizing “I wasn’t wearing bottoms, so I really felt extra violated.” [19:02–21:10]
    • “From that point on, I sleep with bottoms.” — Jennifer Brady (C) [21:43]

• Other Close Calls:

  • Desirae and others recall strangers accidentally entering their rooms, likely with the wrong key.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Podcast Inspiration:

  • “We made it out of the group chat.” — Madison Keys (A) [02:41]
  • “I think, yeah… our personalities are a little bit better. But not to be biased or anything.” — Jennifer Brady (C, D) [03:36–03:42]

• On Fan Pet Peeves:

  • “It’s more so when people are, like, aggressively telling you and trying to like gaslight you into saying that you’re someone that you’re not.” — Madison Keys (A) [11:04]
  • “PSA announcement: Have your cameras ready.” — Jennifer Brady (C) [11:48]

• On Hotel Intruders:

  • “I open my eyes, look up, and there’s a man standing there…so I chase him out, then barricaded my door with my racquet on a chair—if someone came in, the racquet would fall and wake me up!” — Jennifer Brady (C) [19:02–21:10]

Segment Timestamps

• Intro & Podcast Mission – [00:03–02:48]
• Podcast Origin Story & Dynamic with Male Podcasters – [02:48–05:15]
• Fan Interaction Q&A – [05:27–14:51]
• Taylor Swift Album Q&A – [15:15–17:43]
• Funniest Hotel Story – [18:48–21:48]

Tone & Takeaways

The episode overflows with chemistry, laughter, playful teasing, and candid admissions. The quartet’s lively banter quickly dispels any notion of a sterile or scripted show. The Player’s Box promises humor, vulnerability, and authenticity as it carves out space for women’s stories and voices in tennis.

For new listeners:
You’re guaranteed an insider’s look at elite tennis, relatable friendship antics, and plenty of stories you’ll only ever hear from The Player’s Box.