Madison Keys became the headline of American women’s tennis and was the least-expected possibility to win this season. The 29-year-old after years of struggle, finally brought glory back home with an Australian Open title finish in Melbourne. Her triumph recently elicited a former pro to analyze the multitude of thoughts she must’ve juggled en route to navigating past hurdles in her career.

The American star dethroned double defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling three-setter at the Rod Laver Arena to lift her maiden Slam title at Melbourne Park. 10 years after finishing as a semifinalist Down Under and replicating those results in 2022, Keys finally found a way to channel her potential in the right direction. The former World No. 7 outhit Polish superstar Iga Swiatek en route to the summit clash and became the first American woman – or American period – to clinch the AO in five years.

Discussing her latest success story on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, retired Belgian Tennis star Kim Clijsters reserved a few words to narrate the American star’s poignant journey to the top. Seeing as it can be tricky for women athletes to balance their professional life and personal affairs, the former World No. 1 took her tennis journey as an example to echo the reigning AO champion’s long-drawn struggles, now put in the rearview mirror.

She said, “Just to be in that mindset from Maddie. And I know a couple of years ago that she, you know, there was some doubt. ‘Should I keep going? There’s a lot and especially as a woman like you want to, you know, do I set myself, I’ll go for one more year and then maybe start talking about maybe starting a family’.”

“As you get older, they’re different at this stage of her career where they become like ‘Ok, now, I’m thinking about, am I ending my career or am I putting a goal, or a timeline on my career where I’m going to push myself for another year or two before I start maybe a family, building a life at home’. I think for Maddie, the relief is huge,” she added. Having jetted to New York with her maiden Melbourne Slam crown, Keys later explained how her husband was initially hesitant to join her coaching camp.

Madison Keys reveals ‘forcing’ husband Bjorn Fratengelo to become a full-time touring coach

American superstar Madison Keys tied the knot with her husband and 2011 French Open junior champion Bjorn Fratengelo in November last year. Since then, the couple has reaped the benefits of their understanding in the form of a dynamic coaching aid that has now assisted her in lifting the Australian Open title. However, bringing her lover on board as her coach wasn’t a child’s play for Keys.

During a conversation with Good Morning America, Keys spoke passionately about her marriage but highlighted that her husband was wary of critiquing her game at first. “Things have been good, yeah! I mean, being married so far has been a breeze. It’s been amazing. He started helping me about a year and a half, two years ago, and he didn’t want to. He said he was very uncomfortable with telling me what to do and did not want to do it. I, basically, had to force him to come with me.”

Keys will now return to the court after recouping from her exhausting two-week Melbourne campaign. Latest reports show us that the 29-year-old will no longer feature in the ATX Open as part of her recovery detail ahead of the 2025 tour calendar.