Podcast pals Keys and Pegula set to play in Australian Open's fourth round

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Whatever happens in a fourth-round match between defending champion Madison Keys and fellow American Jessica Pegula at the Australian Open, Keys has already nailed the promo for it.

“This is going to be the first match in Grand Slam history between two podcast co-hosts,” Keys said Saturday. “It’s a very niche headline.”

The close friends advanced to the fourth round with wins Saturday. The ninth-seeded Keys beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 in the opening match on Rod Laver Arena, and sixth-seeded Pegula defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3, 6-2 at Margaret Court Arena.

In her on-court TV interview, Keys alluded to the podcast that she and Pegula, along with several other WTA players, do. It's called “ The Player’s Box ” and it chronicles everyday life on tour.

"I think we have to do (one) before the match, so we’ll see how that goes,” Keys said, smiling, already thinking ahead to Monday's match.

She confirmed that later in her news conference.

“We are filming tomorrow (Sunday),” Keys said. "We’re both going to try to think of something to kind of commemorate this moment.

“I mean, hopefully we have more times where we meet later in tournaments where we get to play each other. We can see how this one goes and then hopefully be able to capitalize on it and then see how we want to do it in the future, as well.”

When asked if there would be any “trash talk” during the filming, Keys said she wasn't sure.

“I don’t know if either of us really trash talks very well,” Keys said. “I’m sure we’re going to, for sure, find some way to at least talk about it and hopefully make it entertaining.”

Pegula, who launched the podcast with Keys, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk during last year’s U.S. Open, said she noticed the possible head-to-head contest midway through the tournament.

“I honestly didn’t really realize it until last round that if we both win, we would play each other," Pegula said. “I mean, we’re so used to it. Like, it doesn’t really change that much. But maybe it will help the numbers on the pod.”

So no trash talk?

“Maybe that’s what we should do,” Pegula said. “We’ll see what kind of segments we can come up (with). It could be like a trash talk segment before we play.”

Keys leads Pegula 2-1 in their career head-to-head meetings, including a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win in the final of the Adelaide International in Australia last year.

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