MUTUA MADRID OPEN

April 28, 2026

Hailey Baptiste

Press Conference

H. BAPTISTE/A. Sabalenka

2-6, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Congrats on the match. What was your mindset going into that match?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: Yeah, I mean, I played her a few weeks ago and it was kind of a close match. I just got broken once in each set. So I had a better idea of how to play her, and how I should play, adjustments I needed to make. So I think that I just went in trying to play my game, still doing the same things that I've been doing, but I had a few adjustments I needed to make from the last time we played.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I wanted to ask about saving all of the match points. How did you get through that mentally, and just what was going through your head when it just kept repeating during that game, and then getting it done ultimately at the tiebreak?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: I mean, just to play one more point, make one more ball, and make sure that I'm making her earn that point. If she was going to win it, she was going to have to earn it. I knew that she obviously was feeling a little nervous too. She made a few unforced errors, which is normal. I wanted to make sure that I was very solid and, yeah, just really had the mindset of making her earn those points.

Q. You were solid on those match points, but you were also pretty brave; you hit some big shots in big moments, you came to the net. Is that part of the plan going through your head when you're going into those points?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: The plan kind of comes to my head when I get to the line sometimes (laughing). That was what my brain was telling me to do, so that's what I did. And it worked. Doesn't always work, but in that moment it did. I was really happy with that. I think it was an uncomfortable situation for her, me serving and volleying and doing, hitting a dropshot, I think, in maybe one of the match points I did. So, yeah, I mean, it's not the easiest position to put her in, which is kind of the plan.

Q. I wanted to ask specifically about one point, not sure if you remember, but I think it was 5-5 in the third, and you hit this ridiculous forehand winner. You were way off the court. When you hit that shot, what was your reaction? And I guess, just going from side to side on the court in your coverage, how often are you working on that in training and in that scenario, hypothetically?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: I wouldn't say that I'm like necessarily working on hitting balls outside the alley. But obviously when you're playing points all the time you get into those positions. I actually really enjoy being in those positions, because I feel like I can create shots there. Yeah, I was able to do it in a really big moment. I think that she was maybe a little frightened by that. I know I would be if somebody came up with that in that moment. But, yeah.

Q. You had a pretty epic racquet smash the other day, or yesterday, was it yesterday?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: Yeah.

Q. In that crazy tiebreak. Then you kind of reset and cruised through the third set.

Then tonight you lost, you were serving for the match and got broken, and then sort of just reset in the tiebreak. You kept coming down and reset there. How have you managed to do that, because it seems different than what used to happen to you on the court. Do you have a different technique? What are you working through in your head in order to settle yourself down and play your best tennis when you need to?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: Yeah, I just decided to stop fighting myself basically. It's a decision, like, that you just make pretty much. I wanted to say, Oh, it's so hard, and like, Oh, you don't understand the way I'm feeling. But at the end of the day it's just a decision. Like, either you get over it or you sit in that feeling. Sitting in that feeling has gotten me nowhere and, yeah.

Q. You're obviously in a prime position to win the tournament, but next up will be Mirra, with a day off tomorrow and then playing Wednesday or, yeah, I believe, or two days from now. Your thoughts on playing Mirra for a spot in the final here?

HAILEY BAPTISTE: Yeah, somebody else that I played before and lost to. A little bit of a revenge tour, I guess. Looking to go out there and play my game again and get another win.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.