Madison Keys is Florida's latest champ after winning Australian Open. Who is her husband?

Madison Keys is Florida’s latest champ after winning Australian Open. Who is her husband?

Posted by author January 25, 2025 Tennis

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Florida can claim yet another champion after Madison Keys pulled off a stunner at the 2025 Australian Open.

The Orlando resident upset defending champion Aryna Sabelenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to win tennis’ first major championship of the year. It’s Keys’ first Grand Slam title in a career that started when she was 14 years old in 2009.

Keys had a tough road to the biggest win of her career, which started when she became a teenage prodigy training in Boca Raton. The 29-year-old had to beat the top two players in the WTA rankings, starting with a three-set thriller against No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the semifinal. According to Tennis.com, she became the first woman to beat the top-2 WTA players en route to the Aussie Open crown since Serena Williams in 2005.

Sabalenka had won her previous 20 matches in Melbourne before falling to Keys on Saturday. The Belarusian star smashed her racket in frustration on her way off the court after the loss.

“I have wanted this for so long, and I have been in one other Grand Slam final and it didn’t go my way. I didn’t know if I would ever get back in this position and my team believed in me every step of the way,” Keys said after her win. “They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Last year was so tough with some really bad injuries and I didn’t know if I’d be able to do it again but to be here and have this trophy, I love you all so much.”

Here’s what to know about Madison Keys’ history at Grand Slams and her life in Florida, including her husband and coach:

Has Madison Keys won a Grand Slam? Did she win the Australian Open?

Madison Keys had not won a Grand Slam title before her big win Saturday. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 1-ranked player in the world and winner of the previous two Australian Opens.

Keys had reached one major final before, losing the 2017 U.S. Open final to fellow Floridian Sloane Stephens in straight sets. Her previous best finish at the Aussie Open was a semifinal finish in 2022. She had previously lost to Sabalenka in the 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinals and the 2023 U.S. Open semifinals.

Where does Madison Keys live? Where is she from?

Madison Keys was born in Rock Island, Illinois, a city near the Iowa border. It’s about 175 miles east of Des Moines and 170 miles west of Chicago. However, she has lived most of her life in Florida.

Keys moved to Florida at 10 years old, as her family moved to Boca Raton so she could pursue her tennis career at the prestigious Evert Tennis Academy. She made her WTA debut at 14, winning her first pro match at Ponte Vedra Beach. She currently lives with her husband in Orlando.

Who is Madison Keys’ husband? Her coach, Bjorn Fratangelo

Keys married fellow pro tennis player Bjorn Fratangelo on Nov. 23, just two months ago, in Charleston, South Carolina. Several tennis stars were on hand, including Jessica Pegula and Sloane Stephens.

The two met while they were kids at Evert Tennis Academy and started dating in 2017. Fratangelo, 31, won the French Open junior championship in 2011 and topped out at No. 99 in the ATP rankings.

While he was still playing in 2023, he became Keys’ coach after she played through Europe without one. It was a move he was reluctant to take, but the move paid dividends for Keys as she won the Eastbourne event and made the Wimbledon quarterfinals and U.S. Open semifinals, so he retired to become her full-time coach.

Who are Madison Keys’ parents? Meet Rick and Christine Keys

Madison Keys’ mother and father are both attorneys. Rick Keys still practices in Madison’s home county in Illinois, while Christine Keys retired to live in Florida with Madison and her younger sisters, Montana and Hunter. Christine spent 10 years helping Madison grow into a tennis star before returning to work as an attorney in Illinois.

Madison said she got into tennis by watching Venus Williams at Wimbledon and asked her dad for the white dress she wore. Rick said she could only if she started playing tennis, and so she did, Madison said after her first WTA match in 2009.

While Christine has no athletic experience, Rick played basketball at Division III Augustana College.

How old is Madison Keys?

Madison Keys was born Feb. 17, 1995. She is 29 years old, making her among the oldest first-time Grand Slam winners of all time. The oldest was Flavia Pennetta, who won the 2015 U.S. Open at 33 years, 199 days old, according to Tennis365.

How tall is Madison Keys?

Madison Keys is 5 feet, 10 inches tall.

What is Madison Keys’ ranking?

Coming into the Australian Open, Keys was the No. 14 player in the WTA rankings and was seeded 19th in the tournament. Her win will move her up to No. 7, matching her career-high, according to the USTA.

When is the French Open? Will Madison Keys play?

The next major tournament is the French Open at Roland-Garros in Paris, which starts May 25. Keys has played in the clay-court tournament every year since 2013, so it’s safe to say she’ll be there looking to add to her trophy case.

Contributing: Dan Wolken and Scooby Axson, USA TODAY