"We’re just hoping and praying”: Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and Desirae Krawczyk’s honest takes on managing their periods during WTA season

Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk recently opened up on The Player’s Box about how they handle their periods while competing on the WTA Tour. The American players joined an episode of their podcast to answer fan questions, including a topic often left unspoken: how elite female athletes manage their menstrual cycles during a season with very few rest periods.

Life on tour is physically and mentally demanding, and the menstrual cycle adds another layer of complexity. The players explained that managing energy levels, recovery, and training schedules during their period requires constant attention and adaptation. Their discussion highlighted that even top athletes face challenges that fans rarely see behind the scenes.

World No. 6 Jess Pegula described tracking her cycle as her main strategy to stay prepared. “Survival of the fittest? I don't know. I feel like the best tool is tracking it and knowing when it's coming so you know when you're losing it that it's justified and it's okay. I honestly feel like that's one of the best ways to manage it,” she said.

Even with careful planning, Pegula admitted that unexpected travel, long flights, and changes in routine often disrupt her schedule. “Sometimes you think you have it figured out, and then everything changes,” she added.

The 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys shared that even with birth control, cycles can be unpredictable. “I’m on birth control, so in theory, like, it should be trackable. Regular. But it's not,” she said. Krawczyk also highlighted how travel and jet lag can affect the body. “Or when we're traveling long distance, like, sometimes it's, like, skewed. It gets irregular,” she said.

The three players agreed that the intensity of training, match schedules, and constant movement make tracking cycles even harder. Keys explained that their lifestyles alone can make everything “massively irregular,” meaning that even careful preparation doesn’t always work.

The mental side of managing periods on tour can be confusing as well. Pegula laughed as she shared her experience: “And then you're like, oh, maybe I'm losing my mind because I'm getting my period. And then you're like, wait, I just had it last week. I'm just losing it.” To cope with the physical effects, the players adjust nutrition and hydration. Krawczyk said, “If I'm on my period, I will tend to eat more red meat… and definitely hydrate more.”

The WTA stars also discussed how their cycles influence training decisions. Pegula pointed out that the week before a period is riskier for injuries, while the week of menstruation may be better for pushing the body. “Aren’t you more susceptible to getting hurt the week before your period? And then when your period comes, you're actually supposed to train harder because your body’s in a better position to push. But the week leading up, it isn’t,” she said. Despite understanding these patterns, travel schedules and jet lag make precise planning difficult. “So basically, we have no idea what we’re doing, we’re just hoping and praying,” Pegula admitted.

This conversation gives fans a rare glimpse into how elite female athletes manage their bodies during the competitive season. Periods affect not only energy and recovery but also mental focus and performance. Pegula, Keys, and Krawczyk showed that preparation, nutrition, and hydration are essential tools, but flexibility and adaptability are equally important for success on tour.