Hailey Baptiste, a childhood friend of Frances Tiafoe’s, texted him after his run at the US Open ended in the semifinals earlier this month.
Baptiste told WTA Insider in an interview: “Tough one, good week. He didn’t say anything about the match. He just said, ‘You can do it too.'”
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Baptiste is four years Tiafoe’s junior. Baptiste echoed similar feelings about her childhood friend in a month of stories that were dominated by Donald Young’s mixed doubles reunion in New York and Taylor Townsend’s.
Baptiste further appreciated Tiafoe and said: “He’s always a huge inspiration to me and he’s like a brother to me. We went to school together when I was in fourth grade. I’d be with him all day and hang out with him every weekend, and we’re still close to this day. Same with his brother and his parents; they’re basically my family. To see that, of course, it’s possible because I’ve grown up with him and he’s right there.”
At the Hana Bank Korea Open this week, Baptiste is ranked No. 105 in the PIF WTA Rankings. She defeated Sloane Stephens 7-6(4), 6-2 in the opening round, earning a confidence-boosting victory.
On Thursday, she will take on top seed Daria Kasatkina in the Round of 16. A victory would put her in her first Hologic WTA Tour quarterfinal and mark her first Top 20 victory in more than five years.
Enjoyed this catch-up with Hailey Baptiste, long one of my favorite young players to watch create on court, by @WTA_insider:https://t.co/vlM29W6Frw
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 23, 2024
Baptiste in Beijing, ranking, and results in 2024
LWWLWWWWLW At the moment ranked no.111, the American has achieved a 34-23 win-loss record in 2024. Baptiste is now having a run in Beijing where she toppled the world no.755 Ruien Zhang 6-3 6-3.
Hailey Baptiste will compete against the world no.207 Priscilla Hon in the qualifications. Their actual head to head record is 1-0 for Baptiste.
The American got to the final in the W50 Morelia.
Frances Tiafoe in 2024
LLWLWLWLLW Currently ranked no.15, Tiafoe played his last match on the 22nd of September when he lost to world no.2 Alexander Zverev 6-7(5) 7-5 10-5 in the round robin in the Laver Cup (draw).
At the moment, during this season the American achieved an overall 30-22 win-loss record. Frances Tiafoe’s best result of the year was getting to the final in Houston and Cincinnati.
Frances Tiafoe will take on the world no.12 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Round Robin. Their record is 4-3 for Tsitsipas.
Frances reached the final in Houston (US Men’s Clay Court Championship) and in Cincinnati (Western & Southern Open).
The American won 4 titles in his career: 2 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
