Weeks after arguably the greatest win of her professional carer, Hailey Baptiste suffered a brutal injury that could end her 2026 season.
The American tennis star suffered injuries to her ACL and meniscus Wednesday during her French Open match that will require surgery, Jim Courier said on the TNT broadcast, as cited by The Tennis Letter.
She is expected to miss at least six months, per the report.
Fellow American star Sloane Stephens empathized with Baptiste after she collapsed during her second-round match with Wang Xiyu.
“That is absolutely devastating and heartbreaking,” Stephens said Wednesday on TNT. “I took my earpiece out because I don’t want to hear this. It’s so painful and it hurts so bad for Hailey because this is the best tennis she’s ever played in her career, highest ranking she’s ever been to, she just signed a Nike contract, everything is looking up, things are amazing and it’s just amazing.
“Seeing that video and hearing her scream, you don’t wish that in your worst nightmare. Injuries are so tough and so hard, especially when you’re at the top of your game and playing the best tennis of your career. You just hate to see that.”
Baptiste, the World No. 26, hurt her left leg Wednesday after she landed awkwardly following a jump while she returned the ball to her opponent.
She immediately grabbed her left leg after falling to the court and her father, Quasim, rushed to his 24-year-old daughter’s side.
Baptiste eventually left the court in a wheelchair while having to retire from the match, which Wang led 5-4 in the first set.
The Washington, D.C. native is considered one of the sport’s rising stars, especially after she upset World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka during the Madrid Open in late April.
She has yet to advance to the quarterfinals of any of the Grand Slam events, although she made the semifinals of the Madrid Open.
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