Venus is out of the Citi DC Open… so we are too.
Hahaha. In all seriousness—what a run.
Watching Venus Williams compete this week was like living through a sports documentary in real time. It was raw, emotional, and inspiring. Athletes like her are just built different. And if you didn’t walk away from this tournament feeling even a little bit more motivated—what will do it for you?
Venus lost in the second round to Magdalena Fręch, but honestly, that match offered another lesson worth taking in. Fręch was asked in press—seven different ways—how she felt playing a legend like Venus, in front of a home crowd that was cheering loudly against her. And she gave the same answer every time:
“I just focused on myself.”
She accepted the moment for what it was. She didn’t try to change the energy or shrink under the occasion. She just focused on her game and made sure to take care of her serve. Isn’t that something we can all learn from?
Earlier in the Day
Going back to the start of the day—it felt like most day-session ticket holders were there for one reason: Naomi Osaka vs. Emma Raducanu.
Daniil Medvedev got things rolling by speeding through his match to reach the quarterfinals.
I asked him about Adhithya Ganesan, the young American who lost in qualifying but stayed on as a hitting partner. I’d overheard Medvedev complimenting his serve earlier in the day during his pre match practice, so I asked what he looks for in a pre-match practice partner. 🎧 Audio below.
Then came the headline match, and well… it mostly went one way. Emma Raducanu looked confident, calm, and dangerous—serving well, moving beautifully, and playing with joy. A scary combo for the field ahead
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Naomi, for her part, was upbeat in press. She knows what she needs to do, and even though the loss stung, it didn’t shake her. She was in good spirits and already looking forward.
Townsend’s Win, Leylah’s Update, and Some Bonus Pod News
Taylor Townsend picked up a fantastic win over Sofia Kenin, flipping the result of their Wimbledon match earlier this year. She came into press ready to talk—nearly 20 minutes of thoughtful answers and insight.
I’m putting together a bonus podcast episode with sounds and scenes from the Citi Open, and her quotes will definitely be included. I’ve got a vision for this episode—I just hope I can execute it the way I want to.
So who will Taylor face next? Quite possibly her former doubles partner: Leylah Fernandez.
I asked Leylah what that matchup would feel like, and yes—I also followed up on the other storyline: her search for a date. Breaking news: she’s got one, and it’s currently set for Montreal. 😏
More Raducanu + Rybakina on the Outer Courts
Emma Raducanu wasn’t done for the day. She and Elena Rybakina won their doubles match later in the day. Like all the doubles this week, the match was played on an outer court, and what a treat it was. That court was packed, and it was absolutely worth the price of admission.
I asked Emma in press how this doubles partnership came about. Her answer?
“I ask her on the practice courts.”
Tennis, man.
Signing Off from DC
Taylor Fritz played the last match on site, and with that, Ground Pass is headed back home to New York.
Before we go, I want to take a moment to say thank you. To everyone who came up to say hi, who mentioned the podcast, who told me they follow Ground Pass—you have no idea how much that means to me.
Sometimes, for my own sanity or self-preservation, I convince myself that I’m talking into the void… that no one’s really paying attention to our tiny-but-mighty show.
But this week, you shattered that illusion. And I’m so grateful.
I hope we’re giving you something valuable—something that helps you navigate the tennis world with more confidence, and maybe even inspires you to plan a trip to a tournament yourself. Because believe it or not, these events are more accessible than you think.
See you at the next one.
