Tennis wasn’t a family business for Madison Keys and Bjorn Fratangelo always. The couple started dating in 2017 and got married last fall. They first made their names as teenage prodigies as Keys became a pro at just 14 years of age, while Fratangelo famously won the boy’s title in 2011 at the Roland Garros. Fratangelo’s career in the ATP tour ended in 2023, but his tennis journey was far from over. After sustaining an injury last year, he pivoted to coaching. Guess who his first major assignment was? None other than his fiancee at that time, Madison Keys.

Keys made her return to the tour last year after struggling with injuries and asked Fratangelo to take on the role of her full-time coach. Under his guidance, she has been on fire and won 13 of her first 14 matches in 2025. She also secured a return to the Hologic WTA Tour Top 10 for the first time since 2023. Plus, her run at the Australian Open was nothing short of spectacular. It was her second Major final since the 2017 US Open, which coincidentally was the same year when she and Fratangelo began dating.

In a recent interview on the Served With Andy Roddick podcast, Fratangelo reflected on his transition from player to coach and the challenges of coaching Madison Keys on the tour. “It slowly turned into like X’s and O’s you know like kind of conversations where I had a lot of ideas and a lot of suggestions where I thought like I could help her because it’s hard right like she has three weeks before she’s leaving again you’re changing surfaces you’re going to Grass I’m like the last thing I want to do is mess anything up,” he said.

The 29-year-old Keys has been playing some of the best tennis of her career. She proved her resurgence by defeating three top 15 players en route to the title, including a thrilling semi-final victory against five-time major champion Iga Swiatek by saving a match point. Fratangelo also opened up about the mental pressure Keys was facing before the tournaments. “I could sense that when like she would go into events you know, just from sharing hotel rooms at slams or the Masters and stuff like that like she would get a lot of anxiety once the tournaments start rolling,” he added.

As a married couple, the pair celebrated their first title together at the Adelaide International earlier in 2025, also setting the stage for Keys’ Grand Slam triumph at Melbourne Park just weeks later. With Fratangelo guiding her from the sidelines, Keys has not only rediscovered her best form but also found unwavering support in the person she trusts most. As they move forward, Fratangelo is determined to ensure that his coaching doesn’t just improve Keys’ game but also helps her thrive both on and off the court.

But Keys’ Australian Open triumph means she has been ruled out of the next event she was supposed to participate in.

Madison Keys Ineligible to Play at ATX Open

Madison Keys’ made her return to the Top 10 after securing her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Now, she has been inadvertently ruled out of the upcoming ATX Open in Austin. Her victory in Melbourne Park propelled her back to the career-high ranking of No. 7, and under WTA rules, this ranking makes her ineligible to compete at the WTA 250 event. The ATX Open confirmed the development, announcing that the reigning Australian Open champion’s meteoric rise has disqualified her from participating in the tournament.

The ATX Open is scheduled to take place from February 22 to March 2 and serves as a key lead-up event before the high-stakes Sunshine Swing. It also includes the prestigious 1000-level tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami. The tournament organizers released a statement clarifying the rule, that said, “As a 250-level tournament, the ATX Open is permitted to feature just one Top 10 player unless the defending champion returns as a Top 10 ranked player.” This regulation is a standard feature of the Hologic WTA Tour and aims to maintain competitive balance across different tournament tiers.

While Keys’ absence may be a disappointment for her fans in Austin, it is also a testament to her resurgence. Her commanding performance at the Australian Open has firmly established her status among the sport’s elite. Now focused on maintaining her form, Keys will set her sights on the bigger challenges as she prepares for the remaining part of the season.