Raise a glass of sweet tea for Madison Keys, who helps refurbish tennis courts in Charleston

CHARLESTON, S.C.—We love watching tennis at the professional level. We love playing it on our recreational stages.

And when the two are connected, something truly special happens.

Few players exemplify the concept of tennis love, both in four-point service holds and giving back, better than Madison Keys. The 28-year-old has reached five Grand Slam semifinals (winning one, at the 2017 US Open) and is a fixture atop the American tennis rankings. She also heads a foundation, Kindness Wins, with a mission that supports youth access to sports and education.

Ranked 25th on tour and seeded ninth in the loaded Credit One Charleston Open, Keys opens her tournament Tuesday against Charleston native Emma Navarro. Given the match-up, this may be a rare situation where Keys finds herself without sizable crowd support in the U.S. But her big game, overall popularity and goodwill—stemming from what she did on Monday, in particular—will undoubtedly keep the cheers coming.

Keys has developed her top-tier game through decades of practice, but it wasn’t always easy for the Rock Island, Ill. native.

“Growing up, tennis wasn’t super accessible,” Keys told me early Monday afternoon. “Being able to have more high-quality public courts is a very big priority for me.”

Keys has helped make this happen through Kindness Wins, and through the power of social media. She recently held an online fundraiser, and through donations from the Charleston Open, WTA Charities, fellow players and fans, Keys was able to see her vision though, in a place that’s close to her heart.

“Last year, Kindness Wins gave the Medal of Kindness to a woman named April [Gift], who is from Charleston. She was nominated through the tournament.”

“We were reaching out, trying to figure out who needed help—where we could step in, lend a hand [with public courts]. I got to talk to April and she was the one that said, ‘I have a great place for it.’”

On Monday, on the third day of—of all months—April, Keys unveiled newly refurbished tennis courts at the JV Morris Tennis Center in North Charleston. A youth clinic followed, with two special people in attendance: April, and Madison’s mother, Christine.

“As a mom of a professional tennis player, I’ve seen first-hand how important it is that children have a safe place to access sports,” said Christine Keys, President of Kindness Wins.

“These courts will offer endless opportunities for kids of all ages,” said Gift, USTA South Carolina Manager of Program Development.

Charleston “just felt like the perfect fit” for the project, says Keys, who loves the coastal city’s vibrant food scene, historic architecture and southern charms. And as well, a particularly refreshing local drink.

“I love being able to have sweet tea at any moment,” she says. “Growing up, that was always a go-to for me. They do it really good here.”

It’s a sweet time for right now for Keys, who revealed last month that her and fellow player Bjorn Fratangelo are engaged. And like any good post on social media, it’s become something of a trend: just last week, fellow pro Shelby Rogers let the world know, via stunning Instagram photo, that she’s also tying the knot.

Does Keys have any advice for her Rogers? Not exactly.

“I think Shelby and her fiancé are doing fine—she already has these great, beautiful photos. My fiancé and I have not gotten around to doing anything,” she says with a laugh.

“Shelby might have to give me the advice.”