Is Tennis Star John Isner Married? Meet His Wife Madison McKinley

Tennis pro John Isner found his spouse through a real-life meet-cute. The athlete's wife is Madison McKinley, whom Isner has been in a relationship with for years. In a 2017 interview with D Weddings, McKinley told the serendipitous story of how she first met Isner at a tennis competition: She approached him for a picture while her companions shied away from a photo op. "I had never been to a tennis tournament before," McKinley said. "I was like, 'I don't care,' and I went up and asked for a photo." Isner later told D Magazine in 2019, "I thought [McKinley] was super cute before I even talked to her." After this initial encounter, the couple dated for six years before they made official plans to tie the knot.

In June 2017, Isner took to Instagram to announce that he and McKinley had just become engaged. "6/25/17. A day we will never forget. Bring on the next chapter," he wrote alongside photos of himself and McKinley after the proposal. In December of that year, again via social media, Isner shared that he and McKinley had gotten hitched, and he posted a few photos from the wedding. "12.2.17. The day I married the one for me @madkool13," Isner posted on Instagram. "What an unbelievable weekend we had. Couldn't have scripted it any better." 

If you're not familiar with Isner's wife, it's time to learn about her. For starters, McKinley is a professional who works in a creative field.

Madison McKinley is a professional creative designer. She's the founder of Madison McKinley, a brand featuring a variety of handmade jewelry. In a 2018 interview posted on her brand's site, McKinley stated that she recognized early on in her childhood she had a passion for designing. "My favorite movie when I was a young girl was 'Cinderella,' and I always watched the part where she made her dress for the ball on repeat," McKinley said. "From that moment on, I always knew I wanted to make something for people that they could wear and feel confident in themselves."

Per her Facebook page, McKinley is a Dallas native who studied at Parsons School of Design after attending the Episcopal School of Dallas. McKinley's LinkedIn reveals that she obtained her bachelor's degree in fine/studio arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016. She held a few jobs in the field, such as an accessories designer, and founded MadKool LLC prior to launching her eponymous brand in 2016.

McKinley said a goal of hers down the road was to expand her line when she chatted with D Magazine in 2019. "To be able to go from not just jewelry to leather goods and boots and saddles and hats would be an ultimate dream for me," McKinley said. 

When she and he significant other, John Isner, are not focusing on their careers, the two are also busy with family life.

John Isner and Madison McKinley have begun a new chapter with the birth of their kids. Since their 2017 nuptials, the two have welcomed four children together: Hunter Grace, John Hobbs, James "Mack" McKinley, and Chapel Lee. Isner announced the birth of Chaepl Lee, the couple's fourth kid, on Instagram in April 2023, telling his wife, "You are incredible!"

When Isner and McKinley spoke to the ATP Tour back in 2018, they were the parents to only one baby. It's not surprising they had more, as McKinley noted Isner's devotion to fatherhood even then. "Well, when he walks in the door now, first thing he does is — 'Where's the baby? Where's Hunter Grace?'" McKinley said.

During a 2019 People interview, Isner discussed family life while McKinley was pregnant with their second child. "Life's moving fast!" Isner said. "It is a balance, but I think the most important thing is that I have an incredibly supportive wife who does the bulk of the work for our family, although I do as much as I can when I'm home." 

At the 2023 US Open Tennis Championship, Isner mentioned how the sport of tennis led to fulfillment in his personal life. "Without tennis, I wouldn't have met my wife, and I wouldn't have the amazing family that I have — four beautiful kids, and that's really what it's all about," Isner said.