Ground Pass On-Site
by Ground Pass Podcast
What does a tennis tournament sound like?Footsteps on gravel paths. Umpires calling the score. Racquet bags thudding down courtside. Crowd roars echoing from the far court.These short audio dispatches are recorded live, often mid-match, mid-walk, or in between multiple cups of coffee. They’re not polished. They’re textured, spontaneous, and full of the energy that makes being on site unforgettable.Subscribe to follow the tour with us, one tournament at a time.And if you’re planning to attend one yourself, you might just pick up a few tips along the way. groundpass.substack.com
Episodes
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Ground Pass On Site: US Open 2026 Edition
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...
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Why I Never Stay for Finals Weekend (And Why I Did This Time)
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,...
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How My Shirt Ended Up on Frances Tiafoe
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...
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Order of Play: Live From the DC Open
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...
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The Mini US Open Is Back
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Delray Beach Open. Day 2. (I hit the wall)
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…
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Ground Pass On Site: Delray Beach Open – Day 1
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Dallas Open. Final Dispatch
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…
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Ground Pass On Site: Dallas Open – Day 2
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...
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Ground Pass On Site. Day 1. Dallas Open.
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....
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Ground Pass On Site: Cincinnati Open – Day 7
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Cincinnati Open – Day 6
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…
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Ground Pass On Site: Cincinnati Open – Day 5
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…
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Ground Pass On Site: Cincinnati Open – Day 4
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Cincinnati Open – Day 3
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Cincinnati Open – Day 2
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Cincinnati Open – Day 1
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Citi DC Open – Day 6
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…
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Ground Pass On Site: Citi DC Open – Day 5
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Citi DC Open – Day 4
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Citi DC Open – Day 3
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Citi DC Open – Day 2
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Newport Open — Day 3
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Newport Open — Day 2
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...
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Ground Pass On Site: Newport Open — Day 1
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…
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Ground Pass On Site is back on the road 🎾
It’s been a minute since Charleston, but Ground Pass On Site is officially back and kicking off the summer swing in style—from the grass courts of Newport, Rhode Island. Yes, you read that right. Before we hit the hard courts, we’re taking a little detour to the coast for the newly reformatted…
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Ground Pass On-Site: Charleston – Day 4 Recap
That’s a wrap on Charleston! I’m back home now in cold, cold New York, recovering from a mild cold and already dreaming about the heat and humidity I was just complaining about. Honestly, who’s down for Monte Carlo next? 👀 This was Quarterfinal Day at the Charleston Open—my final day on-site—and...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 3 at the Charleston Open
The humidity has arrived in Charleston. It was one of those days where the air sticks to your skin, but the tennis—and the moments—made it all worth it. Daria Kasatkina’s Aussie Debut 🇦🇺 The highlight of the day had to be Daria Kasatkina playing her first match as an Australian tennis player.…
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 2 at the Charleston Open
Day 2 in Charleston started with coffee and a quick trip into downtown Charleston, which—believe it or not—was my first time in this part of South Carolina. As Ground Pass grows, I’ve been thinking more about how to show the full experience of traveling for tennis. Because most of us don’t just…
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 1 at the Charleston Open
First time at a WTA-only tournament… and already, the girls do it better. We’ve made it to Charleston—and it’s our first time ever covering a WTA-only event. After attending ATP-only and mixed events, we wanted to switch things up in 2025 and find out why the Charleston Open is constantly ranked...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Planning for the Next Tournament 🎾🗂️
Welcome to the first official recording from “The Office”—Ground Pass’ new home base! Over the last couple of months, I’ve been slowly building out this space, and while it’s still very much a work in progress, it finally gives me a dedicated place to work on Ground Pass—separate from my living...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 3 at the Miami Open 🎾🌴
It’s our last day on the grounds, catching the final day of ATP qualifying and the first day of the WTA main draw. This was a short trip, but we wanted to highlight how you can attend a big tournament on a budget by coming during qualifying days. For a low cost, you get to explore the grounds…
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 2 at the Miami Open 🎾🌴
Back on-site today to see which WTA players secured their spot in the main draw and to check out the first round of ATP qualifying. Arrived a little later than planned, but had to get through some admin first: ✅ Posted to our Instagram ✅ Uploaded the latest episode of Ground Pass—available on or...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 1 at the Miami Open 🎾🌴
What a turnaround—I have a whole new level of respect for players who jump from one tournament to the next and have to be ready to compete immediately. Not me. After eight days at Indian Wells, I was shot. I needed about a week to recover, but here we are, at the Miami Open, and ready to go…
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 7 at Indian Wells 🎾🏆
It’s Singles Finals Day at Indian Wells, and we’ve got two exciting matchups. The Women’s Final: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Mirra Andreeva 🐻 This match feels like a mama bear vs. her cub—Sabalenka has owned this head-to-head so far, but Andreeva has a new confidence about her that could make this one...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 6 at Indian Wells 🎾🌴
This is our update from Day 6 at Indian Wells (Saturday, March 8th)—a little later than planned because, honestly, things got way too busy on-site to keep up with daily updates in real time. Now that we’re back home and already prepping for our next tournament, we’re catching up with this post…
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 5 at Indian Wells 🎾🏃♂️
I’ll admit it—trying to post these daily while covering the tournament for both Ground Pass and Black Spin Global might have been a little ambitious, especially at a 1000-level event like Indian Wells. At Delray, I had some downtime between matches. Here? There’s no such thing. From the moment I...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 4 at Indian Wells 🎾🌧️
Better late than never. Not gonna lie my batteries are running on empty but we keep moving. This is Day 4’s update and will be followed shortly but Day 5 where you can watch me slowly decline 😅. Anyway here is my Day 4 update - ***** Tried something new today and filmed throughout the...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 3 at Indian Wells 🎾
Day 3 at Indian Wells, and let me tell you—tournament life is not all sunshine and perfect mic placement. Today was one of those days where I almost scrapped my video for another one. Sometimes, the behind-the-scenes reality isn’t glamorous, and I think it’s important to show that side too. Case…
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Ground Pass On-Site: Day 2 at Indian Wells 🎾🌴
Day 2 at Indian Wells brought a thrilling combination of great tennis, enthusiastic crowds, and behind-the-scenes moments that made the experience truly special. With less wind and more action, the day was packed from start to finish. From the final round of qualifying matches to the highly...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Live from Indian Wells 🌵🎾
This trip came together at the last minute, but when it comes to Indian Wells, it’s impossible to stay away. There’s no place quite like it—stunning desert views, near-perfect conditions (minus today’s wind gusts), and world-class tennis at every turn. A Windy, Yet Electric Day 💨 It was Day 2 of...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Wrapping Up Delray Beach 🎾
The Delray Beach Open is in the books, and before we move on to the next stop, let’s take a moment to look back at what makes this tournament special and the standout stories from the week. A Small but Mighty Tournament 🌴 If you’re looking for an easygoing, intimate tournament experience, Delray...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Delray Beach Open – Day 4 🎾
Today started off quietly with a few withdrawals, but the action picked up as the day went on, delivering some high-quality matches and insightful conversations. Plus, it was Seniors Day on the grounds, meaning some great ticket deals for fans who took advantage of the midweek action....
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Ground Pass On-Site: Delray Beach Open – Day 3 🎾
First off, we hope you’re enjoying our new Ground Pass On-Site series here on Substack! If you’ve been following along, let us know what you think. We’ve also launched a new Instagram Reels series, Match Story—where we highlight the biggest storylines from the matches on the ground. More to come,...
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Ground Pass On-Site: Delray Beach Open – Day 2 🎾
Our first full day on-site at the Delray Beach Open had a little bit of everything—big-time battles, player insights, and a deep dive into what makes this tournament and town a must-visit. Easing into the Action with Doubles 🎾 We kicked things off with a doubles match featuring Alex Michelsen…
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A New Home for Ground Pass On-Site: Delray Beach Open – Day 1 🎾
🎾 Ground Pass On-Site: Exclusive with the Bryan Brothers at the Delray Beach Open 🎾 Hello from Delray Beach! 🌴 The first Ground Pass On-Site episode of 2025 is here, and we’re kicking things off with a special treat—an exclusive interview with Bob and Mike Bryan! The Bryan Brothers are legends...
About this show
What does a tennis tournament sound like?Footsteps on gravel paths. Umpires calling the score. Racquet bags thudding down courtside. Crowd roars echoing from the far court.These short audio dispatches are recorded live, often mid-match, mid-walk, or in between multiple cups of coffee. They’re not polished. They’re textured, spontaneous, and full of the energy that makes being on site unforgettable.Subscribe to follow the tour with us, one tournament at a time.And if you’re planning to attend one yourself, you might just pick up a few tips along the way.
groundpass.substack.com
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Ground Pass Podcast