Why did Madison Keys’ husband and coach Bjørn Fratengelo decide to stop playing tennis? Everything you need to know

What is an athlete’s secret weapon before a decisive match? Sure, top-tier health, sharp skills, and a little luck are essential. But there is something even more powerful – the unwavering support of loved ones. For Madison Keys, this support is extra special because it comes wrapped in a perfect package: her coach, who also happens to be her husband, Bjorn Fratangelowho knows the game inside and out. Why? Because Fratangelo isn’t just a part-time strategist—he was once a tennis pro himself. But what made him trade his racquet for the coaching clipboard?

Named after tennis legend Bjørn Borg, Fratengelo started playing tennis when he was only 4 years old. It was in 2012 when he finally turned professional and played some remarkable matches since then. Fratengelo also qualified for all four grand slams, with his best campaigns at the 2016 French Open and 2017 US Open, where he reached the second round. It was especially in the 2016 French Open itself, when he broke into the Top 100 to achieve his career-high ranking of 99. But situations quickly began to become difficult for him.

Fratengelo began to deal with foot injuries that kept him off the field for quite some time. In August 2023, he qualified for the ATP 500 event in Washington, but did not achieve much and was ousted by Gael Monfils in the first round of the main draw. And finally, his last match came at a challenger event in Cary before finally saying goodbye to the sport in 2023. When asked about his challenges, Fratengelo made some candid admissions to ATP Tour.com. “I’m honestly quite chronically injured,’ he said. “DC happened to be because the list dropped,” Fratangelo said. “I hadn’t really practiced, to be honest,” Fratengelo further noted.

He went on to reflect on his challenges and shared that his foot has been bothering him immensely. “It was nice in a way and it was also a little bit sad, because since then it’s been a bit downhill with the injury and stuff like that, it’s stuck in my foot. So I really haven’t hit much since. I played (an ATP Challenger Tour event in) Cary afterwards and I haven’t really hit much since thenFratangelo said, adding, “It’s actually both feet. I have some genetic problems with some bones in my big toes. And I actually broke both my sesamoid bones in both toes.” And since then, he’s turned his attention to training his girlfriend-turned-wife, Keys.

Remember, Madison Keys and Bjorn Fratangelo first crossed paths in 2006 in Boca Raton when they trained at the same tennis facility and began to develop a close friendship. Later, their journey took them to Orlando, where they lived in the same apartment complex for some time. They finally tied the knot in November in Charleston. But how does it feel for Keys to be coached by her husband? Well, the star player has a cheeky revelation to make

Madison Keys opens up about being coached by her husband

Madison Keys started dating Bjorn Fratengelo in 2017 but kept it a secret before finally getting engaged in March 2023. Together, they experienced some ups and downs in life both personally and professionally. But for Keys, being coached by her husband is nothing but mixed emotions, a mix of fun and, as she says, something “not super fun” moments.

In an interaction on Channel Nine’s show Grand Slam Daily, Keys opened up about her on-court partnership with Fratengelo. “The best part (being coached by her husband) is that we actually get to see each other,” she said. Continuing on, reflecting on the past, she added: “When we started dating he was also playing and we didn’t have the same schedule so we didn’t want to spend a lot of time together. So it’s great that we actually get time together.” But in true Keys style, she made sure to get sassy.

“The not so great part is having to tell him he had quite a lot of time, not super fun” she added, reflecting on the challenges. Now that she meets compatriot Danielle Collins in the third round, it will be interesting to see how the mixture of love and skill helps her and if she manages to continue her run at the Australian Open.