Madison Keys has revealed that she had to beg her husband to coach her during the deepest moments of despair last year, and now his act of self-sacrifice has helped propel her to the biggest victory of her career.
The newly crowned Australian Open champion paid a moving tribute to her tight-knit team after claiming an elusive first Grand Slam crown with a shocking 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka, at Melbourne Park on Monday. Saturday night.
But Keys saved his most special praise for his life partner Bjorn Fratangelo, crediting the 31-year-old, once a top-100 male professional, for reviving his career.
A former junior prodigy who arrived on the professional scene at age 14, Keys feared her best chances of capturing a Slam were behind her after a heartbreaking US Open semifinal loss to Sabalenka in 2023.
The American won the first set 6-0, but lost in the third set tiebreaker after serving for the match.
Last year was also dismal, with Keys out of the Australian Open with an injury before being forced to withdraw with a hamstring strain while leading eventual runner-up Jasmine Paolini 5-2 in the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Madison Keys poses with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on Sunday after her dizzying three-set victory over Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open.
Keys' husband Bjorn Fratangelo (pictured together) played a major role in the surprising career turnaround that led to her first Grand Slam victory.
The 2017 US Open runner-up also missed the Paris Olympics and crashed out in the third round in New York.
That's why Keys thought something had to change.
Then, approaching 30 the next month, Keys changed coaches and changed his entire approach to the game.
“I have the best team,” he said while holding the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
“They really believed in me in times when I didn't believe in myself and basically helped me completely rebuild after some pretty serious injuries last year.”
“And I have the best, most understanding husband in the whole world, who didn't even want to train me and I said, 'Please come with me.'
“It took some pushing and he has been the most supportive and has fully believed in me every step of the way.”
“If it wasn't for those three people who have been cheering me on all week, in every three-set match, I wouldn't be here.”
Fratangelo (pictured with Keys at their wedding last November) gave up his own playing career in a poignant sacrifice that has now paid off in the best possible way.
Fratangelo gave up his playing career to devote himself to his wife's pursuit of Grand Slam glory in the kind of romantic gesture a movie could be made about.
The couple met while training together in Florida and their romance blossomed in 2017.
They got engaged six years later and married just last November, in a ceremony that Keys described as the best weekend of her life, and that included winning the Open.
Wilson's racquet switch to Yonex, credited with playing a major role in her rise to the Slam title, was the idea of Fratangelo, who urged her to push herself in uncomfortable territory, with surprising results.
In an incredible run to the title, Keys, still unbeaten in 2025 after opening the year with a win at the Adelaide International, also knocked out top-seeded world No. 10 and 2022 Open runner-up Danielle Collins number 28, Elina Svitolina, already second classified. Iga Swiatek after saving a match point in the semifinals.
Her biggest achievement, however, was undoubtedly Sabalenka, the first seed, who aspired to become the first woman this century to achieve a hat-trick of titles at Melbourne Park.
To stop the Belarusian powerhouse, Keys knew he had to break the shackles and go for it, no matter what.
“My only goal was to make sure I played the way I wanted and had no regrets,” said the world No. 14, who will return to a career-best seventh place in the new rankings on Monday.
The tennis power couple broke down in tears after Keys became the queen of Melbourne Park on Saturday night.
“Because the last time I played against Sabalenka at the US Open, I walked off the court and I really regretted it because, at any important moment, I felt like I was going backwards.
“She played how she wanted last time and I was going to be absolutely fine if I played how I wanted and she beat me.”
'So if that's how it happened, no problem.
“But that was my only goal and I feel like I did it and I told myself, 'Try to get to the next point.'”
“It was really just, 'Try to get off the field no matter what and be proud of yourself.'
“I told myself, 'Be brave, go after your shots.' You know she's going to go after them, so I didn't want to fall behind in points.
“And once I had to hold on and go up 6-5 (in the deciding set), I said to myself, 'No matter what, there's a tiebreaker, you're still in this, just do it,' and I thought. I fully trusted in myself.'