Around the DC grounds: Steve Harvey, Washington Spirit in the house
WASHINGTON -- Worlds collided at the Mubadala DC Open Friday.
Steve Harvey, American television icon and host of the longstanding gameshow Family Feud, was around the grounds in Washington and met WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz No. 3 Jessica Pegula after her quarterfinal win.
The two chatted about one their favorite pastimes to watch, the National Football League.
"Are you a Bills fan?," asked Pegula, whose family owns the league's Buffalo Bills.
Admittedly, Harvey, from Cleveland, is a fan of the Cleveland Browns. However, he did speak highly of one of his favorite players in the league, Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who Harvey wanted his team to consider drafting in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The two posed for pictures after their conversation, just ahead of Harvey handling the coin toss for a men's singles match on Stadium Court later in the afternoon. Harvey also explored the grounds, and interacted with the Washington DC crowd.
Pegula, 2019 Washington champion, faces Diana Shnaider in the semifinals on Saturday.
Crashing the presser
There was another journalist in the room for Shnaider's post-match press conference after the World No. 18's straight-sets win over Liudmila Samsonova.
The journalist in question wasn't from a media outlet, rather, it was a reporter straight from Shnaider's team -- her coach Sascha Bajin. Check out the full clip below.
Bajin asked his player about motivational music to get them pumped up before a match.
"I think you know my preferences very well," Shnaider laughed. "For sure some pump songs we are listening with our team on the way back from our wins.
"We're taking care of energy before the match [laughing]."
Shnaider also answered wtennis.com's follow-up question on what she enjoys most on working with Bajin.
"There is too many. I do love his driving skills very much [laughing].
"But I feel like we share kind of same joke, same mentality. I think it's super easy for us just to share moments on the court and off the court. It's just very natural for us, too, and we don't care whatever people think. We just enjoy ourselves, and we don't pretend with each other.
"As a coach, I also like that he gives me feedback. He never lies. I mean, that's what you need as a player just to kind of get the progress going."
Shnaider looks to get in the win column for the first time vs. Pegula ahead of their fourth meeting on the WTA Tour.
Taking in the action
The National Women's Soccer League's Washington Spirit headed to Rock Creek Park Tennis Center for Friday night's action featuring Alexandra Eala and Elina Svitolina's quarterfinal showdown.
Among those present from the team included defender Gabrielle Carle, a 2020 Olympic gold medalist with Canada, and defender Paige Metayer. Both players were mic'd up. See their reaction from when Eala won the opening set!
The Spirit were attendance alongside their teammate and United States women's national team star Trinity Rodman, who is here supporting her boyfriend, men's player Ben Shelton.
Shelton played after Eala, who defeated Svitolina to reach the semifinals in Washington, her debut at the tournament.
