“It’s a brutal sport, and you have to be a little bit insane to keep going.” Like a perfectly placed forehand, Austin Krajicek’s day-to-day routine before a match is flawless! His recent tennis triumphs are evidence of his dedication to maintaining a strict regime. Take the Olympics as an example. He is bracing himself to take down the two most formidable opponents in the doubles quarterfinals in Paris, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Interruption in his focus is not an option for the American player. More than anyone, his wife, Misia Kedzierski, understood it quite well, as a result of which she took a bold decision last year.

Maybe it is Krajicek’s outstanding balance of skills and presence of mind, or perhaps his preparation before a match, but either way, the former World No. 1 in doubles has managed to crack the code of success in doubles category. Even before his performance in the Paris Olympics, the 34-year-old player left no stone unturned in the doubles matches at the German Open, Eastbourne Open, and Queen’s Club, reaching either semifinal or quarterfinal in each of them. But his success is not his alone but an integration of his family’s support, especially his wife’s. 

A former tennis player herself, her selfless act to stay out of the spotlight even when her husband was playing in the French Open last year, shows her priorities quite well. The reason is pretty simple: Kedzierski, who married Krajicek in 2021, did not want to disrupt Austin’s rhythmic routine in Paris. So, she did not accompany him there. It will blow your mind to know that she knew every detail of Krajicek’s routine.

At 6 pm every day, Austin would be at the dinner table, finishing it quickly so that it gave him enough time to take a proper rest at night. But before that, he made sure to drop a text to his wife, while also keeping in touch with his pet dogs, Tucker and Moose. “He was in such a good routine. There was no way I was going to mess that up,” Misia told the New York Times.

His relentless pursuit of excellence and hard work paid him well, and he reached the finals of the tournament. And nothing stopped him and his partner, Ivan Dodig, from taking down their opponents, and they skillfully made their way to ultimately lift the trophy together! His wife was at home, watching the proud moment with her friends and immediately FaceTime’d him after the victory shot. 

She knew this would make him reach the top ranking in doubles. And after a while, Krajicek called him back, celebrating the remarkable victory with the love of his life. Not only in the glory of success, Misia was there for her husband even in the darkest times of his career, too, especially whenKrajicek was determined to leave tennis.

The time when Krajicek’s wife pushed him to pursue his dreams in tennis

Austin Krajicek had a habit of dramatic exits. When he last burst through the front door, tennis bag in tow, and declared his career over, his wife, Misia Kedzierski, wondered if this time he meant it. The once promising junior and college champion had been chasing tennis glory for seven years, reaching the top 100 in singles twice and even tasting Grand Slam success. But as summer 2018 approached, his ranking plummeted, mirroring his dwindling finances.

The couple was scraping by in a bare-bones Chicago apartment, their meager possessions a stark contrast to Krajicek’s once hopeful career. While Kedzierski supported his dreams, the strain of funding his tennis pursuits was beginning to take a toll. Speaking about it in an interview, Misia said, “It’s like that awkward time where you don’t want to talk about money necessarily. But then you get to a point where you’re like, ‘Well, if we can’t pay rent, then should we keep doing what we’re doing right now?’”

Krajicek has turned around his career after that, capitalizing on his ability to work hard. After achieving his first Grand Slam last year in the doubles French Open, he is now back on the same ground, aspiring for his first gold medal at the Olympics. With the love of his wife, he is gearing up for a bigger mission!