OK—let’s get a little personal.
I’ve said this on the podcast before, but I got into tennis because of the Williams sisters. They looked like me, they had hair like me, and as someone who grew up super athletic—showing muscle tone way before it felt “normal”—it was comforting to see strong female athletes owning the court. It made me feel less weird. More powerful, even.
So imagine the full-circle moment when I got to ask Venus Williams a question about her legacy and the growing popularity of tennis in the U.S.
It didn’t totally register in the moment—but it definitely hits now.
🎧 Audio of the full press conference is below, and here’s a link to the tournament’s video version.
That moment pretty much set the tone for Day 2 on the grounds. I arrived to find a line already forming at the gates—a great sight, especially for qualifying. The field was packed with exciting young players, and they had a real crowd to play in front of.
The practice courts? Standing-room only. You couldn’t even see the court when Frances Tiafoe and Daniil Medvedev were out there.
First come, first serve—and I swear I saw the same group of fans holding down their spots every time I walked by. These moments matter—especially for fans who might not be able to snag pricey center court tickets.
And speaking of the crowd: outside of New York, this is easily the most diverse and youngest tennis audience I’ve seen all year. It was vibrant, it was loud, it was fun. One of the best parts of this tournament is its setting—right in the middle of the city, in a public park. Metro, bike, rideshare, walk—it’s all accessible.
I spent most of today filming for our Ground Pass Tournament Guide and grabbing footage for social. If you’re not already following us everywhere—what are you doing? Here’s our Linktree.
From the Media Room
I got the chance to sit down one-on-one with McCartney Kessler, who’s making her main draw debut here in DC. We talked about her transition from college tennis to the pro tour, how she’s finding her rhythm on hard courts, and what it means to compete at a tournament like this. 🎥 A clip from our conversation is below—full interview coming soon.
Ben Shelton also came through media today, and I asked him about the energy of the US summer hard court swing and how he sees the sport growing in the States.
🎧 Audio below.
Jessica Pegula and Frances Tiafoe were in as well, though I’ll admit I was slightly distracted by JPEG’s guest: a service dog-in-training named Tucker. She’s partnering with K9s For Warriors, and Tucker was busy winning hearts. Extremely good boy.
Tomorrow the main draw begins—and I don’t know about you, but I’ve got my eye on that last match scheduled for Center Court: Ben Shelton & Frances Tiafoe playing doubles together? Say less.
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