American tennis star Madison Keys may be feeling the pressure of defending her Australian Open title in Melbourne. However, that burden appears to be eased by the presence of her husband and coach, Bjorn Fratangelo.
Keys enjoyed a strong start to her campaign and later shared how she celebrated her first wedding anniversary with Fratangelo last year. The world No. 9 also spoke about what it means to travel on tour with her husband and how his presence helps her during matches.
Madison Keys Playfully Recalls Her Anniversary With Husband and Coach Bjorn Fratangelo With a Heartfelt Message Post-Australian Open 1R Win
Fratangelo has been coaching Keys since 2023, and their partnership has yielded improvements in her performances. The former world No. 99 was approached by Keys to join her team, a decision shaped by their close relationship and shared understanding of the game. Though initially hesitant to step into a coaching role and direct his wife on court, Fratangelo agreed, and that soon proved fruitful as their collaboration gathered momentum.
The change proved transformative, helping Keys make deep runs at major tournaments, including a semifinal appearance at the 2023 US Open, before capturing titles at the Internationaux de Strasbourg in 2024 and the Adelaide International in 2025, and then securing her maiden Grand Slam crown in Melbourne in January last year.
It is worth noting that the couple tied the knot on Nov. 25, 2025, nearly two months before Keys won the Australian Open title. The pair began dating in 2017 and announced their engagement in March 2023.
The American appears determined to defend her crown in 2026 and began her campaign with a 7-6(6), 6-1 victory over Oleksandra Oliynykova in the opening round. When asked during her post-match, on-court interview, how she celebrated her wedding anniversary with Fratangelo, Keys said: “We went to the spa and kind of hung out. And we were both at a hotel and we were like, “This makes me feel like we’re at a tournament. Let’s go home.” But it was amazing,” she said.
Keys said traveling and working alongside her husband provides immense comfort, particularly during tense moments on court, something she experienced during the nervy first set against Oliynykova. She was happy to see her husband continue in her team and playfully thanked him for ‘dealing’ with her.
“It is incredible being able to travel with him and work with him and instances like today where it’s a really tricky beginning of the match and you’re feeling a lot of nerves to be able to look over and see your husband and have that encouragement means the absolute world to me. So, really happy he’s decided to stay on the team and still deal with me. So, looking forward to the rest of the year,” she added.
Next up for Keys in Melbourne is her compatriot, Ashlyn Krueger, in the second round. This will be their first meeting on tour, and according to the PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator, Keys is 78% likely to win the clash.
