The Player’s Box – US Open Match Updates, Most Likely To, and Choosing Balls (September 2, 2025)

Hosts: Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Jennifer Brady, Desirae Krawczyk
Episode Theme:
A candid, inside look at life on the tennis tour during the US Open, featuring tournament updates, off-court antics, quirky routines, and an uproarious “Most Likely To” segment. The episode closes with fan Q&A, including the all-important question: “How do tennis players choose balls to serve with?”

Episode Overview

The hosts – all active WTA players and close friends – gather during the thick of the US Open for a lively, laughter-filled catch-up. The conversation ranges from match and partner updates to some truly behind-the-scenes insight into how players blow off steam, maintain their skincare while touring, and keep their sanity amid media demands and grueling schedules. They poke fun at personal quirks with “Most Likely To” superlatives, and field fan questions with trademark honesty and wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life at the US Open: Matches & Off-Court Adventures

• Tournament Updates
  • Jess Pegula and Desirae Krawczyk are both still competing—Jess in singles, Des in doubles (w/ Storm Hunter).
  • Practice schedules are hectic; early mornings, long days:
    “My days were scheduled, like, to the minute.” – Madison Keys (04:48)
• NYC Fun: Escape Room & Rooftop Night
  • All four did an “Only Murders in the Building”-themed escape room with three strangers:
    “We crushed that. We had what, 20—actually 20 minutes left in our room...” – Desirae Krawczyk (02:09)
  • “Let loose” after a rough practice with a rooftop drink:
    “I sent my coach a picture of two drinks...He said, ‘Love it. Only go around once.’ I was like, what? But it’s also so true.” – Desirae (02:48)
    “I played so much — I’ve been playing a lot better since that night, to be honest.” – Jenny Brady (02:41)
  • Jenny is the “mom” with a calendar, making sure everyone meets up.

2. On Tour: Routines, Partners, and Double Lefties

• Playing the Waiting Game:
  • The pre-tournament week can be grueling and stressful, but media and sponsor days keep top players busy.
• Doubles Pairings:
  • Des is playing with Storm Hunter, both lefties:
    “All lefty doubles practice...I don’t know if we’ll ever do that again...Not fun.” – Desirae (06:53)
    “It’s like a cheat code. If I was playing video games or something...It’s like being left handed mother in law.” – Desirae (07:24)
  • “She’s obviously been #1 in the world in double...She’s coming back from injury, but yeah, always good to play with an Aussie.” – Desirae

3. Skincare (And Sephora) Obsessions

• Skincare Routines:
  • Maddie’s top three: Azelaic acid serum (“changed my skin”), La Roche Posay sunscreen, Tatcha oil cleanser.
    “If anyone ever has any sort of skin problems on the road, just come to my room...” – Madison (09:34)
  • Jenny is infamous for spending only ~$30 at Sephora:
    “Who comes into Sephora and only spends $30?” – Jenny Brady (12:09)

4. “Most Likely To” Game (Starts ~14:00)

• Rapid-fire superlatives and hilarious stories:
  • Text the wrong group chat: Des (14:22)
  • Send a voice note: Des (14:32)
  • Hit you with a FaceTime: Jenny (“Over/under 6 FaceTimes per day!”) (15:13)
  • Smash a racket: Jenny (17:12)
  • Grunt loudest: Jenny (“When the forehand starts going...”) (17:50)
  • Forget the score: Des—with a junior tennis horror story (18:12–21:22)
  • Challenge a ball that was way out: Jenny, with a nod to Ostapenko (21:30)
  • Nap in the locker room: Des (22:26)
  • Corner a TV analyst: Jess (22:29)
  • Become a coach: Jenny (22:42)
  • Be late to practice: Des (“I’m late to my own practices, too.”) (23:25)
  • Be found in the player’s buffet: Jenny (24:10)
  • Forget shoes/equipment: Des, with the infamous stolen shoes at French Open story (24:45–27:22)
  • Trip over nothing: All – with special mention to Jenny’s training fall (30:09) and various clumsy mishaps
• Notable quotes:
  • “I’ve definitely tripped on the carpets, like, at the airports...They’re the worst.” – Desirae (31:36)
  • “Bjorn (her husband) gets legitimately mad at me because...I’m basically trying to kill myself all the time. I’m, like, climbing up on top of stuff or whatever.” – Madison (32:22)

5. Haircuts As Coping (“Fleabag Bob”) and Comfort Food

• Maddie jokes about an “unhinged” post-loss bob haircut:
  • “I think I want to cut a bob. Should I cut a bob? Should I just cut all of my hair off? That’ll make me feel better, right?” — Madison (34:04)
  • “You know someone’s really going through it when they show up with an extreme haircut.” – Madison (35:44)
• Comfort food as therapy:
  • Desirae: “Definitely comfort food and just alcohol. Maybe tequila shot… cheap date over here.” (37:47)
  • Jenny: “I prefer salty — like pretzels. Come on. Like peanut butter. Everyone knows I’m obsessed with…” (40:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “We were all just chaotic, running around the city like chickens with our heads cut off…It feels very New York. I feel like I’m in The Devil Wears Prada.” – Desirae Krawczyk (04:37)
• “If anyone ever has any sort of skin problems on the road, just come to my room, because my toiletry kit is £20.” – Madison Keys (09:34)
• “Who comes into Sephora and only spends $30?” – Jenny Brady (12:09)
• “All lefty doubles practice…I don’t know if we’ll ever do that again.” – Desirae (06:53)
• On forgetting the score:
  • “I was so zoned in…she flipped [the scorecard] to her side, and it was 4:1 to her…I was at 4:1. So then we had to go back…” — Des (18:34)
• On post-loss coping:
  • “After my match the other day, and I was like, I think I want to cut a bob. That’ll make me feel better, right?” – Madison (34:04)

Fan Q&A (Starts ~41:45)

1. Replaying Points (43:08)

• Pegula: “In the [US Open] final last year against Sabalenka…I had a backhand short ball that I couldn’t miss with my eyes closed. And I missed it because I changed my mind…That one kind of replays in my head.” (43:22)
• Brady: “In the semifinal against Naomi at US Open—the tiebreaker in the first set, would love to replay. I played such a shitty tiebreak…” (45:27)

2. How Do Players Partner for Doubles & Practice? (46:44)

• Des: “It’s not like Hinge, but honestly, that’s not a bad way to do it…You want to play with someone you like, but some girls, you gotta do what you gotta do and just get in with whoever to make the cut list.” (48:07)
• There’s also a ‘no hit list’:
  • “Everyone’s got a list of who you’d rather practice with and who you don’t want to practice with.” – Jenny (48:49)
  • Sometimes you get placed with a random hitting partner: “One time they gave me a lefty. The next day, someone ambidextrous…” – Jenny (50:41)

3. How Do Tennis Players Choose Balls When Serving? (53:30)

• Superstition & Preference:
  • “Let’s say, I played a really good point and I want that ball…I’ll wait and keep saying, ‘No, that’s not the ball,’ until I get that ball back…and play with it until I lose the point.” – Jenny (53:49)
  • “Usually when I’m serving, I look for the newest ball—faster, livelier.” – Jenny (54:34)
  • Comedic detour:
    • “Some are a little, like, fuzzier, used and fluffy. I don’t like hairy. I don’t like when they get real fluffy…” – Jenny (55:07)
    • “Oh, when they’re more bald…” – Desirae (55:21)
    • (much laughter and jokes about “fresh balls”)

Other Memorable Segments

• Travel Mishaps:
  • Losing shoes at French Open and backup shoe drama (25:01–27:22)
  • Grass court shoe scarcity and clown shoe tales (28:25–29:30)
• Injuries & Clumsy Moments:
  • Maddie’s “basically trying to kill herself” at home: “The amount of times he’s come home and I’m, like, bandaging something because I cut something…” (32:22)
• Behind-the-Scenes Tennis Culture:
  • The chaos of managing sponsors, media, fan requests, late nights, and last-minute changes.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Escape Room & NYC Fun: 01:08–02:40
• Teamwork & Practice Schedules: 03:47–05:40
• Doubles Partnering & Lefties: 06:13–07:33
• Skincare Chat & Sephora: 07:39–12:37
• “Most Likely To” Game: 14:04–32:14
• Training Bloopers & Clumsiness: 30:09–33:39
• Haircut Therapy & Comfort Food: 33:40–41:34
• Fan Q&A (Replaying Points, Partnering, Choosing Balls): 41:45–56:38
• Ball-Choosing Hilarity: 53:30–56:38

Tone & Style

The episode buzzes with playful, self-deprecating humor, candid stories, and a sense of found-family camaraderie. Each host's personality shines through—whether it’s Maddie’s deadpan delivery, Jenny’s earnest overexplaining, Des’s extroverted stories, or Jess’s practical side. The group doesn’t shy away from gentle roasting or sharing cringe-worthy moments, keeping the vibe relatable and refreshingly real.

For New Listeners

This episode is a perfect snapshot of why The Player’s Box works: it’s tennis through the lens of the athletes’ true personalities—candid, chaotic, and deeply human. Even if you don’t follow the WTA Tour, you’ll find plenty to love: from hilarious locker room confessions and skincare deep-dives to the inside scoop on how pros really choose their tennis balls.

Listen if you want:

• Behind-the-scenes stories of tennis’s biggest stars
• Insights into doubles partnerships, travel, and rituals
• Great vibes, banter, and a front-row feel to US Open life

For full context and more laughs, check the show on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube channel!