Christmas Vibes Light Up Madison Keys’ as She Turns First Among WTA Peers to Relish Holidays

As the WTA 2024 season wraps up, holiday festivities are in full swing for the tennis players. Many are heading home to reconnect with family and friends after a year spent on the demanding tour. Among them is Madison Keys, who ended her season early after a tough match against Beatriz Haddad Maia at the Wuhan Open. Despite this setback, she had previously secured a title in Strasbourg and finished the year ranked 21st in the WTA standings. Shortly after finishing her season, Keys celebrated her wedding to Bjorn Fratangelo, and they have already started their Christmas holidays.

Madison Keys took to Instagram to share snapshots of their festive decorations, featuring a small tree adorned with wedding-themed ornaments, delicious baked goods, and a beautifully polished porch. She also posted a cozy picture of them enjoying a festive drink, proudly displaying her wedding ring. Her post was simply captioned “December things,” signaling her excitement for the holiday season.

Ahead of this, Keys was part of the Charlotte Invitational where she competed alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe, and her friend, Sloane Stephens. While being there, she expressed how one day Bjorn hopes to move to the Queen City with her. During an interview, Keys said, “My husband really wants to move here…So he basically sent me to look at homes. The few hours that I have, I’m probably gonna check out some.” Perhaps, one day, we’ll see them decorate a new house for the festive season.

On the other hand, Sloane Stephens has been particularly emotional about Madison’s union with Bjorn. As a close friend and doubles partner, she expressed her joy for Madison during the Charlotte Invitational.

Stephens gushes about Keys and Fratangelo’s wedding a month later

After celebrating Madison Keys’ beautiful wedding to her longtime partner Bjorn Fratangelo in November, Sloane participated in the exhibition match against her friend. In the post-match interview, she said, “Obviously, I know them both so well and obviously when she walked down the aisle and I walked first, I was like falling. When she walked, I just couldn’t control it,” Sloane recalled. “It’s always really nice when you see one of your closest friends marry the love of her life and they are planning their futures together. It’s just a lot!”

Their friendship has blossomed over the years, as they bonded on the tennis circuit. In a 2022 interview with Nike, Stephens remarked, “In tennis, you’re kind of just around the same people all the time. I think we were like, ‘Oh, hi, let’s be friends. We’re close in age.’”

Now that her friend is married and making housing plans with her husband, it’s an emotional moment for Stephens having seen her grow as a person and a tennis player. She further added, “I feel like we’ve just grown up with each other, so we’ve seen each other grow as humans—moving to new houses, buying furniture, new boyfriends.”

As they navigate their careers and personal lives, Stephens and Keys’ friendship is proving to be a lasting bond. They will want this friendship to endure through all of life’s twists and turns.