"It fell off the table onto the suitcase, and thank God something was in the suitcase, or it would’ve completely shattered" - Jessica Pegula recalls story of breaking Charleston Open trophy

It was a successful Charleston Open for Jessica Pegula and Desirae Krawczyk, with Madison Keys and Jennifer Brady also in action. They recapped on the events of that tournament while letting slip some of their clumsier moments, including Brady falling over on a plane and Pegula breaking the Charleston trophy.

Charleston proved a profitable venture for both Pegula and Krawczyk who respectively took home the singles and doubles titles on the green clay of South Carolina. While it was a brilliant start to the clay swing for both players, it did not go totally smoothly for Krawczyk afterwards.

The doubles title was a special moment for her, but the travel back would not be great to say the least. "I had a connecting flight through Dallas. We boarded, then they said there was a maintenance issue and deplaned everyone. Then it was a two-hour wait for a new plane," she recalled on the Player's Box Podcast.

"We finally boarded again, pushed back, and then the captain said the plane was overweight and we had to go back to the gate. So instead of getting home at midnight, I got home at 4:30 a.m. It was quite the travel day—but we made it."

Brady also had problems on a plane, but this one was her own doing and could have interrupted someone else's day with a nasty surprise. "When I was flying home from Charleston, I took my mom’s roller bag with me. I put it in the overhead bin, and it was a really tight squeeze," she said.

"When we landed, I was trying to get it out—it wouldn’t budge. I pulled really hard, and I wasn’t prepared for it to come out that fast. It was heavy, so I tripped on my own feet and fell completely backwards into the empty row behind me. The bag flew out of my hand and may have hit someone. I fully fell—I was like that 'I’ve fallen and can’t get up' commercial. It was so embarrassing. I just put my hood up and walked away."

Nothing was broken in those scenarios, unlike a year before, when Pegula broke the Charleston Open trophy. "I broke the top part right here. So it wasn’t horrible, but it’s still pretty bad. It was sitting on a table right at the edge, and I have no idea why I left it there. I just… I don’t know what’s wrong with me."

Fortunately, the damage was limited. "I had a carry-on suitcase open underneath next to the table, and I think it was balancing on something. I didn’t think, 'This is a bad idea.' I just let it happen. It fell off the table onto the suitcase, and thank God something was in the suitcase, or it would’ve completely shattered. So it’s actually a miracle that only the pointy top part broke. And I didn’t tell anyone until I got a new trophy—then I didn’t feel as bad."

Seemingly, it suits the character of Pegula who has been labeled as rather clumsy by her fellow peers. "You do break a lot of things," Brady stated.

Fortunately for Krawczyk, she does a better job of keeping her trophies away from danger, and even from other people. "They’re on the mantle. Except I will say my finalist trophy from last year is hidden in my bedroom, so when people come over for Friendsgiving they only see the first-place trophies. But the finalist one is kind of cute—it’s just a smaller version."

Overall, the Charleston Open was praised by them all, thoroughly enjoying it along with enjoying some deep runs. "It’s just such a great tournament—great vibes, great people. I can’t wait to come back next year," Keys commented.

The two-time champion was obviously satisfied with her work and was fond of the intimate surroundings on court. "I love that it’s smaller and more intimate. You actually get to see your friends and hang out, unlike bigger tournaments like Indian Wells or Miami where everything is so busy."

The players will look to travel away from their native USA for the clay court tournaments in Europe. Pegula has decided not to compete in the Stuttgart Open, with full focus on the Madrid Open. "Yeah, so I’m going to Madrid. I fly out on the 17th—next Friday night." The tournament will then begin a few days later on the 20th, offering Pegula a number of days to prepare with her involvement coming a little bit later.

Keys has the same plan as her fellow American, but will have to figure out what to pack before she leaves. "I’m leaving the same day as Jess," she explained. "So like 10-ish days at home, which is going to feel great… because I’m already stressing about how to pack for seven to twelve weeks on the road with lots of different temperatures."

Against the trend, Brady is staying in the USA. "I leave on the 18th for Charlottesville— (laughs) I was going to say Charleston. Wishful thinking. But yeah, Charlottesville. I’m playing some challengers in the States."