Ground Pass On-Site

We’re back. We’re back at the US Open. Our first grand slam as a podcast. What a time. Thursday was my first full day on the grounds. It’s as supposed to be the last day of qualifying but the rain prevented that. But it gave me a chance to see what was new around the grounds. I’ve been coming to this tournament for over 10 years and there’s still something new every single time. This year might be...

I made a surprise and unexpected return to the DC Open, and I am so happy I did. I usually don’t stay for finals weekend at tournaments, and I got a lot of questions as to why when I posted about that. First is cost. Tickets for the first few days of a tournament are cheaper than the later days, and as a fan I was always cost conscious. You get the best bang for your buck, see the most players, an...

Let’s start at the end, shall we. Something quite unexpected happened on Day 3 of the DC Open. Off Season was put on the big stage . I thought it would be an early day for me. After recording my quick hit for this GPOS, I was planning to go home after what was a very long day. Ground Pass is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid...

I figured it was time to give you a tour of the grounds. It was the last day of qualifying yesterday, a day that means so much to the players who make it into the main draw. This is a life changing moment for a player trying to climb the rankings or take their first steps onto the pro tennis tour like Cruz Hewitt is doing here. Cruz, if you didn’t know, is the son of Lleyton Hewitt. And the pressu...

Day 1 at the DC Open: qualifying around the grounds, media day with Venus Williams and the top seeds, and Off Season DC officially goes into production. The mini US Open is back. Read the full Day 1 newsletter on Substack: https://groundpass.substack.com/p/6ddbaf57-3fb7-412d-b0ad-df5a38706899 Ground Pass On Site is back for our fourth year in DC. In this episode we're on the grounds as Daria Kasat...

After 2 weeks on the road, going from Dallas straight to Delray this was bound to happen. My brain is juggling schedules, video ideas, notes, who I still need to catch up with, who is coming up next to interview, and on and on. The good news. Delray is manageable . The hours are not crazy, the first night match on center was already over by 7:30p on Day 2, and even with a full day, it still feels...

I’m am back Delray Beach, and I really missed it here. Last time you saw us, we were in Dallas. I loved Dallas. It was my first time, and there is something so underrated about an indoor tournament when you just want guaranteed tennis. But Delray feels like home . This tournament is a smaller footprint, it is held at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in downtown Delray, and it’s an ATP 250, plus a Le...

Matches had already started by the time I hit record today, because I spent my morning doing something I’m really excited about. I recorded an interview for a new Meet the Professionals episode with the voice of the Challenger Circuit , Mike Cation . Consider this your little sneak peek because that conversation was so good. If you’ve ever wondered how people actually build careers around tennis m...

Day 2 and the tournament officially came alive. What felt like the calm before the storm yesterday turned into a packed house, a buzzing fan zone, and a full slate of matches that made this compact indoor event feel big. Morning Coffee… with Women’s Tennis I started my day “busy watching women’s tennis” in my Rich Sport tee, locked into Mirra Andreeva vs Victoria Mboko in Doha. Yes, I’m at an ATP...

Welcome to the calm before the storm. We are officially back on site for our first tournament of 2026, and we’ve landed at the Dallas Open . This is an indoor ATP 500, hosted in Frisco, Texas, inside The Star , the Dallas Cowboys’ training facility. We know this vibe, the stadium within a stadium. Just like the Miami Open but indoors. This is my first time at this tournament, so I’m learning the s...

Saved the best for last. You probably don’t know this about me, but I love plants. I pretty much live in a greenhouse. So when I first stepped onto the grounds of the new Cincinnati Open I knew I had to talk to whoever was responsible for the landscaping. The person responsible for creating this tennis secret garden is Christopher LaMond . He has been with the tournament for 15 years, and I got to...

Let’s start the Day 6 recap with an apology. I have failed you. I had grand ideas of doing a full-on mukbang while covering the food at the Cincinnati Open. But it’s been a long summer of traveling to tennis tournaments, and between trying to save on costs and also eat a little healthier to keep my energy up on site, it just didn’t happen. That said, when it comes to food, the Cincinnati Open defi...

Today’s focus: Fan Zones . If you’re heading to the Cincinnati Open, you won’t have to worry about finding a spot to rest in the shade, meet up with friends, or grab a bite to eat—there are fan zones everywhere. The largest space is The Common , located right next to the main food stalls. It’s packed with umbrellas for sun protection, and there’s a stage where live music plays throughout the day....

Today’s focus: Outer Courts . There are seven main outer courts at the Cincinnati Open. Court 4 and Court 10 are the largest—Court 10 being the famous sunken court. Courts 5 through 9 , lined up in a row on the north side of the site, are all identical in size with short rows of stadium-style seating. Before Champions Court existed, Court 10 was my favorite. The sunken court design creates an inti...

Today’s focus: Show Courts . The Cincinnati Open has four show courts this year—three returning favorites and one brand new addition: * Center Court * Grandstand * Stadium 3 * Champions Court (Court 21) – new for 2025 With the expanded player field, these courts allow the tournament to spread out the star power, giving fans multiple ways to see big names in action. Center Court and Grandstand (wit...

As I mentioned in yesterday’s dispatch, I’m breaking down one feature of the new Cincinnati Open grounds each day while I’m here. Today’s focus: practice courts . The Practice Court Upgrade The practice court setup is so much better than last year. There’s now a permanent, dedicated area with significantly more seating, so you’re no longer crammed against a wire fence, standing for hours to catch...

Wow. That’s all I could say when I stepped onto the new and improved Cincinnati Open grounds for the first time. And from what I’ve heard, a lot of the players are feeling the same way. After the last ball was struck here in 2024, construction began immediately on a massive upgrade to prepare for this year’s expanded draw. The tournament has officially joined the 10-day Masters 1000 club, with 96-...

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...

It was just one of those days. A Wednesday. Middle of the week. The order of play? Not exactly inspiring at first glance—so, like most other attendees, I wandered toward the practice courts . Even when I’m covering a tournament for Ground Pass , it’s nice to steal a quiet morning to regroup and reflect. Covering a tournament solo isn’t easy—don’t get it twisted—but I really do love it. I headed to...

We have to start from the end and work our way back—because what Venus Williams did on Center Court last night was nothing short of inspirational . There are very few times in sports where you can say you witnessed history . That’s exactly what happened when Venus, at 45 years old , won her first-round match against world No. 35 Peyton Stearns . But let’s not make this all about her age—that’s jus...

I got to the grounds early on Day 3—the first day of the main draw —hoping for a calm start and some time to catch up on everything. But I wildly underestimated what Day 1 of the main draw would actually entail. Before I knew it, matches were underway, Ethan Quinn and Victoria Mboko had both won their first-round matches, and we were already heading into press. But let’s back up. What were the gro...

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...

Back in New York now, watching the Wimbledon men’s final — but already missing the relaxed, summery energy of Newport. Day 3 at the Hall of Fame Open started off with tennis on the grounds and a bit of optimism… but then came the downpour. And not just a passing shower — a full-on deluge that flooded the courts and shut down play for the rest of the day. When that happens in Newport, there’s only...

How many times can I say it’s super hot before it loses meaning? Because wow — it was super hot. Add in some classic East Coast humidity and the occasional flash thunderstorm, and you’ve got the full summer tennis experience. I spent most of the day zig-zagging across the grounds filming for our upcoming Ground Pass Tournament Guide to the Newport Open and snapping photos for the website and socia...

Ground Pass On Site is back! After a little break since Charleston, it feels good to be back at a tournament. And not just any tournament — this is my first time at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport and my first time at a grass court event. A double debut! I arrived to a bit of cloud cover and rain, but honestly, just stepping onto the grounds gave me that familiar tournament thrill. The Hall of Fa...