WASHINGTON — Now in her eighth year as a professional tennis player, Hailey Baptiste doesn’t get rattled very easily.

But when the 23-year-old Washington native was asked to attend Saturday’s unveiling of the men’s and women’s draws for the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Rock Creek Creek Park Tennis Center, she had some reservations.

“I hate looking at the draw,” she acknowledged more than 30 minutes before the ceremony kicked off at 3 p.m. “I usually never do [look]. [But] they want me there, and it’s my home tournament. So I’ll do it today.”

As much as Baptiste might have hated the exercise, she was the star of the draw. More than 100 fans — standing and seated — crowded a makeshift stage to get a glimpse at the upcoming matches. And when Baptiste was introduced to the crowd, she earned the biggest round of applause and cheers among the handful of speakers who took the microphone.

A few minutes later, Baptiste learned that she will open her stay at the tournament against No. 6 seed Sofia Kenin, a fellow American who captured the 2020 Australian Open and is currently ranked No. 26 in the world.

That is the kind of reception Baptiste has garnered as she has enjoyed her best season to date as a pro. She is currently ranked No. 48 in the world — the highest of her career — owns a 24-16 record this year, and made her deepest run in a Grand Slam when she advanced to the Round of 16 at the French Open in early June.

Baptiste credited her success to an inner resolve that she has tapped into.

“I just think I have a different belief in myself now, a true belief in myself,” she said. “It’s obviously showing, and I’ve got a great team with me. Yeah, I think I can definitely continue to do what I’m doing now and get better.”

One member of that support staff is her coach, Franklin Tiafoe, who is the twin brother of American tennis superstar Frances Tiafoe. Baptiste has known the Tiafoe brothers from her days of playing at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park where the brothers planted their seeds in the sport.

For Baptiste, tennis in Washington has been a gateway to the sport. As a member of the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation which is located on the same campus as Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, she recalled watching several Washington Kastles matches and was permitted to play doubles with Venus Williams — who was awarded a wildcard to play in this week’s tournament — when she was four or five years old.

DC Open: Everything you need to know about star-studded tennis tournament

For someone who had watched matches at the DC Open despite not having a ticket, the tournament has a special place in Baptiste’s heart. She won her first DC Open match in 2019 against Madison Keys, who was a 2017 U.S. Open finalist and 2018 French Open semifinalist at the time.

But even Baptiste was startled to see her face on a marquee promoting the tournament at the venue.

“Just a full-circle moment,” she said. “That wall, I used to hit on for hours when I was a kid, and I have a really good relationship with Mark [Ein, who chairs the DC Open and owned the Kastles]. So I know he knows how much that means to me.”

Since reaching the third round at Wimbledon earlier this month, Baptiste has been spending time with family and friends who continue to live in Washington. She described the upcoming week at the DC Open as “probably my favorite week out of the year” and “a family tournament.”

But does that mean she feels pressure to perform well in front of the same people who are rooting for her to succeed?

“I wouldn’t say so much that there is pressure, but of course, I want to win and do really well at my home tournament,” she said. “That’s obviously an amazing thing for the fans as well. I think it’s just something that everybody wants.”

Despite cracking the top 50 in the world for the first time, Baptiste said that she still maintains certain standards when it comes to her play.

“Expectations are going to stay the same because when I was [top] 150, 100, I still had the same goals and expectations for myself,” she said. “So I think everything in that is going to stay the same, and obviously, I’m just pushing for more.”

Related Articles

• Scottie Scheffler on the verge of another major after building a 4-shot lead at the British Open
• Orioles top prospect Samuel Basallo sidelined with oblique injury
• Disney, sushi and iguanas: How Orioles players spent their All-Star break
• Annapolis’ Division I football prospect Rion Jackson glad he stuck with Panthers
• Kyle Stowers stays hot with 2 more homers, including walk-off in 10th

The tournament is the start of the hardcourt season, which culminates in the U.S. Open in Flushing, New York. Baptiste did not get out of the first round in 2020 or 2021 when she played there, but knows how critical a solid outing here can perhaps pay dividends in the future.

“Luckily, it’s at home,” she said. “I’m just going to continue to do the same things that I have been doing throughout the entire year. Working hard on the practice court, getting to the gym, and getting my mind ready for the U.S. Open, which is obviously the home slam.”

Being home and in the presence of family can do wonders for an athlete, especially after a long grass court season in Europe. But Baptiste acknowledged that she has to force herself to leave her family and stay at an area hotel, not with her family.

“I’m a bit too uncomfortable if I’m staying at home,” she said. “So I need to be in that hotel room with just the bed and the TV.”

Have a news tip? Contact Edward Lee at eklee@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/EdwardLeeSun.

Tennis News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos