Baptiste fuelled by Tiafoe connection

“Before this year, for two and a half years, I was a lot of the times travelling by myself. Just kind of thugging it, battling my way through matches,” the world No.70 said on Thursday after defeating Japan’s Nao Hibino to reach the third round at a major for the first time. 

Baptiste didn’t shy away from the challenge and, though it was tough, she came out the other side as a stronger player. 

“Lose a match, didn't really have anyone to talk to afterwards,” she recalled. “Kind of my friends saying, ‘Tough luck.’ Had to do the whole debrief process by myself. You just learn things about yourself and about the game. I think it gave me confidence and a new love for the game.” 

These days Baptiste is tapping into a totally different vibe. She has brought on Franklin Tiafoe, the brother of ATP star Frances, to be part of her team full-time, along with Eric Hechtman, the former coach of Venus Williams, as her head coach. 

It feels much more like a family affair for Baptiste, whose tennis journey neatly parallels that of Tiafoe. 

Both natives of the Washington, D.C. area, Baptiste and Tiafoe have been close for 15 years, and she says Franklin and Frances are like brothers to her. The connection between the two families runs extremely deep. 

“We grew up, both very young, playing at JTCC (Junior Tennis Champions Center in Maryland),” she said of her initial years with Frances. “Before, we would see each other on the grounds and we would hang out, but then we started going to class together, me and Frances.

"I’d say that’s when we got really close, when I was around like nine, ten.” 

Tiafoe, who is four years older than Baptiste, was there to inspire her during her formative years. 

“After school he would hit with me for an hour, two hours, we’d just hit and talk, so we developed a real closeness and on the weekend we hung out pretty much every weekend; me, Frances and Franklin would go to the movies, bowling, whatever,” she said. “They’ve been my brothers for as long as I can remember. So I always look to them for advice. A buddy, a friend, hang out, bored, do whatever – they were always my first call.” 

Franklin has been involved with his twin brother Frances’ career since the beginning. He’s also been with Baptiste in a professional capacity on and off for years. But this year he came on as a full-time member of her team, and alongside Hechtman they have guided Baptiste to her best year as a pro. 

“It’s a blessing for sure,” Franklin told rolandgarros.com. “Being able to be a part of what she’s doing right now, after us being together for years and years. She’s basically like my sister, so seeing her do her thing is great.” 

Hechtman, a taskmaster who pushes Baptiste to stretch her limits, is stoked to have Tiafoe as part of the team. 

“It’s awesome,” he said. “They’ve known each other for a long time. He’s a great, positive guy, just a good dude overall. The season’s long, just being on the road for as many weeks as you are. It’s great to have someone that is, one, knowledgeable about tennis and two, somebody that is her friend. 

“I get along with Hailey great but it allows me to have that separation as well.” 

Hechtman joined the team two months ago in Miami. Baptiste already has learned to appreciate his no-nonsense style. 

“He doesn’t take s**t. He gives it to you straight and I think that’s definitely what I need,” Baptiste said. “I’m kind of the same. We butt heads sometimes, but it’s in a respectful way.”

Hechtman likes that dynamic as well. He said he wouldn’t have taken the job if he didn’t think Baptiste was willing to put in the hard yards to become an impactful player on tour. 

“I’m out here to progress and go far,” he said. “I’m not afraid to lose my job so I’m going to do what I think is best, in her interest. Whether it is giving her positive feedback or telling her what she could do better. Whatever that might be. It might be off the court as well. That’s my job, that’s why I’m here.” 

Baptiste has the best of both worlds on her team, and she believes Franklin’s full-time presence is a big part of the reason she is making big strides in 2025.

“Franklin has definitely been a part of my tennis for a long time. When I was younger and I would need to practise on the weekends, Franklin would go out and feed me balls, and when I didn’t have a coach – whenever those times were that I felt like I really needed somebody in a certain week, I would call him up and he would help me,” she said.

“I think it has something to do with my success. He definitely keeps me way more relaxed and just happier overall.” 

And having Frances, who faces Sebastian Korda in third-round action on Friday evening in Paris, around for inspiration doesn’t hurt either. 

“The success he’s had is just amazing,” she says of Tiafoe, who has reached the top 10 and played the semi-finals at the US Open in two of the last three years. “We’ve had some tough losses, and have been down, but we can always go back to each other and say ‘Maybe that loss sucked, but look at where we are.’ 

“From where we came from we really can’t be anything but happy. It’s definitely amazing to have him to look up to. I think that has boosted me in so many different ways. I’m very lucky to have him.” 

Baptiste will face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in third-round action on Saturday in Paris.