Remember the chaos of Wimbledon Day 1? It all began with heartbreak as Roland Garros’s queen, Coco Gauff, suffered a shocking first-round exit. Then came another blow when third seed Jessica Pegula bowed out, leaving American hopes on shaky ground. With Serena Williams’ legacy looming large, the torch now rests in one of the emerging stars, Hailey Baptiste’s hands. The American ace has fought her way to the third round, bringing fresh fire to the American WTA side. But standing in her path is Russia’s fierce prodigy, Mirra Andreeva. Can Baptiste defy the odds and script a miracle on grass? Well, 54-year-old legend Jim Courier has weighed in! Curious to know what he thinks?

Since 2020, Hailey Baptiste has been on a relentless climb, finishing each year higher than the last, rising from No. 232 to a career-high No. 55 midway through 2025. The DC native blends raw power with tactical flair, relying on her kick serve, slicing backhand, and inside-out forehand to stay one step ahead. “I just like to be creative on court,” says Baptiste, who honed her craft with the boys, guided by Frances Tiafoe’s twin brother Franklin. “Girls don’t love the kick serve and the slice,” she smirks, and it shows.

Now, as her third-round Wimbledon clash against the red-hot Mirra Andreeva looms, 54-year-old Jim Courier weighs in: Hailey Baptiste may just be America’s spark on grass.

On a recent episode of the “Tennis Channel Live Podcast,” Jim Courier and his peers dissected all the drama from Day 4 at Wimbledon, with Hailey Baptiste’s rise taking center stage. After Baptiste powered into the 3rd round to set up a clash against Russia’s Mirra Andreeva, Prakash Amritraj recalled being stunned by Baptiste’s self-awareness at the Madrid Open. “But I’m just so impressed with the confidence. And now it’s coming out on the court. I think it was in Madrid. We sat with her. And I think she was playing Vecic next. And I asked her, listen, you’re playing Vecic. Vecic is a really big hitter. How are you going to try to blunt that? She looked straight at me and goes, you know what, I’m a pretty big hitter too,” he said. 

Jim chimed in with a punch of praise: “And she’s telling no lies. She is a big hitter, but she’s also a great disrupter. She gets Andreeva, whose forehand looked pretty fragile today in her win. I would love to see her use some of that variety that she’s got and the power as well and see what that forehand looks like for Mirra.”

That disruptive blend was on full display in her 2nd-round match. Facing Canada’s Victoria Mboko, Baptiste clawed her way back from a 2-5 deficit in the 1st set, capitalizing on Mboko’s unraveling rhythm. With the tie-break poised at 5-2 in Mboko’s favor, wild errors crept in. Baptiste stormed back, earned a set point, and finally closed it with a cheeky drop shot after a rollercoaster exchange that included a lucky net cord and a double fault.

The 2nd set began with chaos off the court. Serving at 0-1, Mboko grew visibly agitated when two spectators occupied her player box. Despite her protests, the umpire allowed them to stay, and the disruption rattled the young Canadian. Still reeling from the first-set collapse, Mboko handed over an early break.

Baptiste, ranked World No. 54, didn’t need a 2nd invitation. Even with just 57% 1st-serve accuracy, she mixed slices, drops, and flat shots with precision, yanking Mboko around the court until errors followed. The match wrapped in under 100 minutes, ending with a netted slice from the Canadian.

Though her current run glimmers with promise, Baptiste’s journey hasn’t been without its share of bumps. She’s the first to admit it. But with her swagger, grit, and unique court craft, she’s not just surviving, she’s stirring the pot in style.

Hailey Baptiste opens up about pro tennis struggles

Before climbing the ranks and becoming a rising name in American tennis, the tennis ace Hailey Baptiste endured a road less traveled, one paved with solitude and grit. In the early stages of her career, she often found herself navigating the tour alone, with no team or companion by her side. It was just her, her racquet, and an unshakable will to survive. But through that lonely grind, she refused to surrender her spirit.

“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. Lose a match, didn’t really have anyone to talk to afterwards. 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,” Baptiste revealed.

Thankfully, she wasn’t entirely without anchors. The Tiafoe brothers, Frances and Franklin, stood as her North Star. Their Maryland training forged a strong bond; they practiced diligently after school, building the foundation for their future success.

Now, with the 3rd round of Wimbledon on the horizon, Baptiste finds herself on a bigger stage, carrying the weight of American hopes.

Can she rise to the moment? Share your thoughts, and for all things Wimbledon, click here to stay updated with our live blog.