It’s a story of perfect synergy between two people.
This couple, who recently got engaged at the US Open, embodies that connection. Craft, a New Jersey tennis pro, shared his thoughts about their experience at the Queens Tournament.
Brett Craft proposed to Sofia Fredrickson after dropping to one knee at Louis Armstrong Stadium, recalling that it all kicked off on their first date.
Craft, 39, first crossed paths with 27-year-old Fredrickson at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club in South Orange, New Jersey. She reminisced about their 2021 date: “I remember him saying, ‘I’m going to kiss you, if we end up on the Jumbotron.'”
Since then, they’ve made it tradition to sit in the same spot every summer.
This year, they finally made it onto the Jumbotron.
“When I kissed her, the audience erupted. …I figured, if there was a time to propose, this was the spot,” said Craft, hailing from New Providence, New Jersey.
Craft recounted the nervous moments leading up to the proposal.
They had attended the event alongside Fredrickson’s brother, Marcus, and his girlfriend, Hannah. During their time there, Craft stepped away to find a photographer who could help capture the moment.
“The photographer was thrilled to assist; I even flagged down the supervisor who was coordinating with ESPN. They weren’t able to provide specific timing, but mentioned they’d be ready between sets,” he explained.
Ironically, as he prepped for the proposal, he vented his frustration to Marcus and Hannah about how he hadn’t yet popped the question at the tournament. “I always say to my family, ‘The US Open feels like such a full-circle moment.’ I even joked about being a little annoyed,” Fredrickson, originally from Sweden, noted.
After the first set between Aryna Sabalenka and Leila Fernandez concluded, Fredrickson had to step out for a moment. When they returned, someone else had taken their seats, and instead, the Jumbotron caught Marcus first.
Kraft mentioned that it played out perfectly, as the distraction allowed him to propose while Fredrickson was watching her brother on the screen.
Turning to the crowd, he gestured for some encouragement.
“I wanted to just say ‘Yes’ immediately; I was hoping he would ask sooner,” she added. “I was laughing and crying, and his eyes looked so emotional.”
In that instant, with a packed stadium of 14,000, they felt utterly alone together.
The couple felt overwhelmed by the outpouring of goodwill from the spectators.
“We must’ve had over 100 people come up to us, congratulating us and sharing photos and videos,” Craft recalled.
Even Sabalenka, who won the match, chimed in during a press conference to wish them a “happy marriage.”
Right after the engagement, TV commentators humorously remarked about the US Open’s $23 signature drink, joking about it as a celebratory gesture for the couple.
“I caught that, and my immediate thought was, ‘I don’t think so,'” laughed Craft.
