Madison Keys and Charleston have a very special connection! What’s it, though? In 2019, when she won the title here, she admitted, “I love this tournament. It’s one of my favorites, every year it’s the first one I sign up for. It feels like home, and coming here is always amazing.” Fast forward six years, and Keys is now entering the same tournament as a Grand Slam champion. After winning titles in Adelaide and Melbourne, Keys had to come home empty-handed from the ‘Sunshine Doubles.’ Can she clinch yet another title at her “second home“? Time will tell! But before that, let’s find out why ‘The Holy City’ of South Carolina is so special to this American tennis star.
Apart from winning the title here in 2019, Madison Keys got married to her long-time boyfriend, Bjorn Fratangelo, on November 23, 2024, at The Dunlin in Kiawah River, S.C. The nuptials saw some of her closest friends on Tour in attendance, including Sloane Stephens, Jessica Pegula, and Taylor Townsend. According to Keys, it was “the best day of her life.” While recalling the big day, she once said, “These are all of my favorite people, and they’re all here, and this is just the greatest thing ever.’ And I immediately was like, ‘We should have another wedding because this is really fun.” Why did Keys’ choose Charleston as the venue for her big day, though?
Well, the tennis star gave this answer recently after her impressive straight-set win over her compatriot Caroline Dolehide in the R32 of the 2025 Charleston Open. During an interview with the Tennis Channel, while revealing the exact reasons behind choosing Charleston as a venue for her marriage, she said, “Well, I’m from the Midwest and Bjorn is from Pittsburg, and with the tennis schedule being the way that it’s, November is not amazing in either of those places. So, I really wanted to be somewhere where it was nice and the weather was great and a lot of our friends and family hadn’t been here. So we kind of wanted everyone to be able to make a trip out of it and have a really great weekend in Charleston.“
Following their wedding, even Fratangelo shared a few glimpses of their memorable day on his IG handle with the caption, “Can’t put into words how amazing this day was. I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with you @madisonkeys To everyone with us, you all made it beyond what we could have imagined. Love you all.“
How did both Keys and Fratangelo meet each other, though? Well, their journey as a couple began back in 2006 in Boca Raton, Florida, where both of them met each other while training at the same facility. Later, they started to live in the same Orlando apartment complex, and over the years, their bond evolved, and their friendship turned into a relationship. In 2017, the pair eventually started dating each other and in March 2023 they got engaged.
Following her opening round win at the Charleston Open that year, Bjorn Fratangelo popped the question to Keys, and later on, the pair even posted a picture of her ring on their respective IG accounts with the caption, “Forever 🩶.” How did he manage to get the affirmation from Madison Keys, though? Well, while narrating that beautiful love story, Keys said, “He actually did it at home. The day that I got back from Dubai so I was not expecting it at all. I was sitting on the couch and he was like, ‘Hey I have your birthday present.’ He handed me something and then got down on one knee. Just sitting on the couch so now we have to keep the couch forever.”
Now, Bjorn Fratangelo is not just her husband, but also her coach! Madison Keys is often seen showcasing her love and admiration for her husband for his constant support through thick and thin. What was his reaction when she won the 2025 AO, though?
“It’s been amazing to see you evolve” – Madison Keys’ husband’s reaction to her title triumph at AO
From quarantining together during the pandemic in March 2020 to being the biggest cheerleader for Madison Keys, he has been more than just a husband and coach to the tennis star. While recalling some of the moments during their quarantine, Keys said, “Being in quarantine together has really shown us that we don’t have to be doing something in particular to enjoy being together. We laugh together a lot and Bjorn is constantly keeping me on my toes.“
In 2023, Bjorn Fratangelo faced a big decision when she asked him to coach her. After already retiring from the sport due to injuries, he was worried about mixing their personal and professional lives, making it “too complicated.” However, despite a bit of hesitation, he finally agreed to take up the role, and then, earlier this year, when Keys won the AO, he couldn’t keep his emotions under control.
After beating Aryna Sabalenka in the final, Madison Keys was spotted running towards her husband to give him a hug and celebrate that iconic moment in her career. Later on, Fratangelo dedicated a heartfelt note to Madison Keys, saying, “For 8 years, I have watched you wonder if and when your time would come. Sometimes, you thought it never would. I never cared about any of that because to me you’re so much more than what you do with a racquet. Through your lowest of lows and all the highs, you stuck with it and finally get what you truly deserve.“
He further added, “Everyone around you loves you so much, and a grand slam is not needed for that. It’s been amazing to see you evolve over the last 18 months, and no one can ever take this away from you.” The resurgence of Madison Keys has been the talk of the town in the tennis world in 2025, and surely Bjorn Fratangelo has a big role to play in this. Do you think Keys can bring more smiles to the faces of her team and family with more title triumphs this season?
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