Hailey Baptiste has been making waves on the WTA rankings, attributing her success to a commitment to her playing style and a strong self-belief.
A key element of her game? Great escapes. She saved six match points against Aryna Sabalenka in the Mutua Madrid Open quarterfinals and repeated the feat in the first round of Roland Garros.
Baptiste’s Parisian Escape Against Krejcikova
Baptiste, the No. 26 seed, faced Barbora Krejcikova, the 2021 Roland Garros champion. The match lived up to the hype, lasting nearly three hours in sweltering Parisian heat where on-court temperatures felt about 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Baptiste won 6-7(7), 7-6(6), 6-2, after coming from a set and a break down. Krejcikova held a 6-4 lead in the second set tiebreaker.
After losing serve to trail 7-6, 2-0, Baptiste appeared frustrated, having failed to convert two opportunities to win the first set. However, she demonstrated a mental transformation when it mattered most.
Mental Fortitude and Positive Thinking
Baptiste stated, “I just refuse to let myself be the reason that I lose a match and really focusing on being mentally strong and very positive even in the very tight, close moments.”
This mental shift, combined with Krejcikova’s lack of match play, allowed Baptiste to finish strongly. She has six wins from a set down in 2026, which is one-third of her total match wins.
Baptiste said, “In my head I would love to break a racquet and scream, but I know that’s not going to help me. Me maybe laughing it off or just being super positive immediately after, it’s made a huge difference for me. I’m able to kind of just forget about it right away.”
She added, “I think that everybody kind of has the same thoughts, I mean, similar thoughts closing out a match. There’s nerves, for sure. You know, there’s certain ways to approach it. Some people maybe don’t go for their shots. Another, okay, I just need to make balls. Me, I try to go after my shots and, you know, try to create something to get to the net or hit a winner somehow.”
Trusting Her Instincts on the Court
Baptiste feels she has enough experience to know how she should play. She believes she should trust her gut when on the court.
She stated, “I feel like I’m old enough and experienced enough to know how I should play and know what’s right when I’m on the court. I really think I should just trust my gut whenever I’m on the court. … I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself over the last few years and my game. It all boils down to just trusting my mind and what I’ve do
Baptiste’s mental strength and positive approach have been instrumental in her recent success.