As a member of the media, it’s my job to observe and report the facts as an unbiased bystander. I recently had the honor and privilege of covering the Credit One Charleston Open on Daniel Island — the largest women’s-only professional tennis event in North America.
Tennis week is a marathon, not a race. Early mornings, late nights and 12-hour days. It’s not for the faint of heart. But I would do it all over again in a heartbeat because it’s journalism in its purest form.
The following is a first-person account of my experience at the tournament. These are my opinions, my emotions and my perspective. All facts have been checked and approved by me.
Media Day
While driving over the Wando Bridge, I glanced over at the Credit One Stadium and could feel the enormity of the situation. As I veered off the exit for Daniel Island, I was greeted by a row of palm trees lined with international flags to represent players from all participating countries.
Parking wasn’t an issue because I had my own special designation for media. I strutted to the entrance of the stadium with as much confidence as the players competing. Wearing a blue sports jacket and toting a sleek, black briefcase, I felt like a VIP. I flashed my press credential to the security guards and gave them a head nod. It was Media Day and the games were about to begin.
Covering local events is one thing, but when you’re surrounded by journalists from all over the world it can be a little intimidating. The amount of cameras and microphones can be nerve wracking, but when the lights get brighter and the stage gets bigger, I feel like I perform at my best.
As I sat across the room from reporters of all different nationalities, I thought to myself how cool it was that everyone traveled from different parts of the world to cover this tournament. I felt like an ambassador representing my country. I cannot imagine the kind of pressure the players were feeling.
I took a deep breath, crossed my legs and sat back on the plush sofa in the players lounge awaiting for the tennis players to trickle in for interviews. I was comfortable, perhaps too comfortable.
To put it in tennis terms, I aced the interviews. The key to any interview is making your subject feel relaxed so that they take their guard down and answer candidly. I don’t write down any of my questions, but I do rehearse them in my mind. The reason for this is so that it feels like a conversation, not an interview. The goal is to get them to go off script and speak freely.
Shoutout to Arielle and her marketing team for providing daily stats and background information on all of the players and match-ups. This allowed me to blink so I could miss some shots.
Storylines
Oh, the storylines. This year’s tournament was chock full of feel-good narratives. Personally, I’m always hyper-focused on how the local tennis talent is doing. Hometown heroes Shelby Rogers and Emma Navarro naturally create a lot of buzz for the local press.
Rogers and Navarro, two very different players at different points in their careers, both share one thing in common: their love for Charleston. Coming into the tournament, Rogers had been sidelined for 11 months due to a knee injury and had just returned to play the week prior. There was a lot of speculation about how her knee would hold up.
Rogers answered a lot of those questions in her homecoming match. She came out swinging and stifled her opponent in short fashion. Her 6-1, 6-1 victory only took a little more than an hour. Although she got eliminated not long after in the Round of 32, Rogers’ comeback was solidified. She proved a lot to the fans, but more importantly herself. Welcome back Shelby!
As for Navarro, her story is one of triumph and perseverance. A few years ago she was a nobody in the tennis world. Now, the 22-year-old Ashley Hall graduate is considered one of the best players in the world. Not only is she having a breakthrough season, it seems like overnight she has emerged as a star.
Ranked World No. 20, Navarro was one of the top seeds in this year’s Credit One Charleston Open. She was the 10th best player in the field and perhaps the most talented player to ever come out of Charleston. She’s become a household name and she owes it all to herself.
To read more about Navarro’s meteoric rise in the game, including an interview with her and her coach.
The Food
My mouth is still salivating just thinking about the delicious food I indulged over the week. When it comes to media perks, there is nothing better than complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not many things in life motivate me like a hot meal waiting for you at home, in this case the media room at the tennis stadium.
I can’t say enough about the hospitality. I was treated like a pampered indoor cat. There was a smorgasbord of culinary options, everything from beef wellington to pan seared salmon. We were being served the same cuisine as the players. It was world-class deliciousness.
Thankfully, I didn’t have any dietary restrictions that prevented me from scarfing down the scrumptious sugar cookies and brownies like it was my personal job. On several occasions I went back for seconds. My only regret is not going back for thirds.
The Weather
Outdoor tennis is most enjoyable on a balmy, spring day. That wasn’t the case early on in the tournament. First, came the rain. Then, came the wind.
Rain delays in any sporting event are brutally agonizing. It’s a waiting game. Not only does it muck up the tournament’s schedule, but it takes the players out of their rhythm. They no longer know when they’re going to compete and it makes it difficult to know when to eat, train and rest prior to a match.
Torrential Tuesday. The second day of the tournament put a damper on things. Play was supposed to begin promptly at 11 a.m., but due to the incessant rain, play did not resume until 5 p.m. The six-hour delay turned day matches into night matches and postponed other matches until the following day. It wasn’t a complete washout, but it was a wet mess nonetheless. The green clay courts resembled more of a swamp.
Windy Wednesday. The third day of the tournament was a breeze, literally. The stadium quickly transformed into a wind tunnel.
The wind was howling so fierce that my lanyard was spinning like a pinwheel around my neck. Let’s just say it was a good day to be a windbreaker.
The remainder of the week saw ideal conditions. The sun peaked at the right time for the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. The tennis gods rewarded the players with clear blue skies.
Final Thoughts
As my week drew to an end, I couldn’t help but reminisce on all of the years I’ve covered the tournament. Over the last five years, I’ve reported on the tournament for three different media outlets: The Moultrie News, The Daniel Island News and Mount Pleasant Magazine.
Every year has been a different experience and yet a similar outcome. I always leave with a deeper appreciation for the game of tennis and my peers who live their life on deadline.
Credit to the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to make this tournament the best it can be. Their professionalism and hospitality is masterclass and embodies everything Charleston stands for. Thanks for being an excellent steward of the game and leaving it better than you found it.
Until next year,
Cheers!
Zach Giroux
Editor, Mount Pleasant Magazine
[email protected]
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