ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2025

Hailey Baptiste

Press Conference

H. BAPTISTE/J. Bouzas Maneiro

7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Hailey, congratulations. You've never reached this round in any Grand Slam, so how do you explain your recent success?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: I think I've been asked this a few times, pretty much every round that I've won here, but yeah, I just put it on my confidence and the people that I have around me, and feeling good, so...

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Is there anything about going through a slam first week that you've been here a while now that is different to what you maybe imagined it would be like?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: I mean, I've played quallies several times. I mean, obviously now I'm in the main draw, but it's pretty much the same thing. You're playing match after match. Less people here. Obviously a bigger moment, bigger stages.

But I think to do well and continue with the success, you just have to take every match and play it as any other match.

Q. You're going to play Keys the next round. Obviously that was your big win back in D.C. years back. How do you look back on that moment? I feel like that win came ahead of schedule for probably what you were thinking in terms of getting a big win. People didn't know you as well when you pulled that off.

HAILEY BAPTISTE: I think we've played maybe three times now. The last time we played, I think it was last year at Indian Wells, and I had a few match points in that match as well. So I'm definitely looking to play her again and change the narrative, because that one definitely stung. I think she got a little bit lucky getting out of there, for sure, so...

Q. What do you remember about the first one in Washington? That was really maybe your first tour-level win of any kind.

HAILEY BAPTISTE: Yeah, it was my first WTA match. I mean, I think I had a lot of nerves and a lot of excitement, and I was obviously playing somebody that I looked up to.

I was just loose, having fun, I was in my hometown. So I just remember, like, enjoying the moment and playing in front of a big crowd. I think it was one of my first times playing in front of a big crowd, so just enjoying it. That's kind of the same thing that I'm going to do.

Q. That match is going to be a battle between two great servers. I'm curious, how has your serve developed over the years? And when you were younger, was it always a big weapon, or was there a point where you took it to the next level?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: I think it's always kind of been a weapon for me, but obviously as I've gone, I've tried to sharpen my weapons and make my serve as good as possible. I think there's still a lot to improve on it.

But, yeah, I definitely think it's a big part of my game, and I'm looking to serve well in my next round.

Q. A random question, but watching practices, it's always pretty seamless when the hour is over and a player comes off and then the next one comes on. I'm curious, has there ever been a time, maybe not at this level, when a player just doesn't come off? Like when you're waiting there, and the players are still hitting? Coco said that sometimes it happens where some players will take, like, five minutes, and they're still on the court. Has that ever happened to you?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: I mean, on the court? Maybe on the sideline, but if my time is up, then I'm going to just jump on court, and they usually get the message (smiling).