Washington area on the map at Roland-Garros
Francis Tiafoe and Hailey Baptiste are among an impressive group of Americans doing well at the world's most prestigious clay court tennis championship.
On Sunday Francis Tiafoe became the second American man to advance to the quarter finals of this year’s French Open, after a straight sets win over German Daniel Altmaier. Tiafoe was dominant through the first two sets, winning them 6-3, 6-4, before Altmaier was able to find a little more of a base under him as the third set went to a tiebreaker. But Tiafoe came into the match with a 75% tiebreaker win record for the 2025 season, and a little bit of a chip on his shoulder for not yet dropping a set in the tournament so far. Tiafoe took the tiebreaker 7-4, and now boasts 12 consecutive sets in his win column—an amazing feat not often seen.
Tiafoe and fellow American Tommy Something are the first American men to advance to the French Open quarter finals since Andre Agassi’s 2003 appearance. Agassi also won 12 consecutive sets at the French open in his 1999 appearance, beginning with the second set of Round of 16 match, and continuing through the second set of the semifinals. Agassi would go on to win the tournament that year.
While Tiafoe has been a long time fan favorite for American fans, and local tennis hero from College Park, Maryland, Hailey Baptiste has been a little more under the radar for many. Hailing from Washington D.C. Baptiste has had some notable accomplishments against tough opponents, to include defeating Madison Keys (then a previous US Open finalist) in her WTA debut at the 2019 Washington Open. This year’s French Open has been Baptiste’s best performance at a grand-slam tournament, reaching the Round of 16 since upsetting 23rd ranked Bia Haddad Maia in the first round.
Tiafoe and Baptiste have developed a close friendship, bonding over their common roots as they tour the world playing professional tennis. Their spheres have intertwined so much that Tiafoe’s twin brother Franklin is one of Bapiste’s coaches. Their impressive French Open performances come after Washington D.C. broke ground on an $18 million project to expand the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center. It seems that more exciting things are in store for D.C.’s tennis future.
Baptiste now faces Madison Keys once again, who is now the reigning Aussie Open champion. Keys took out fellow American Sonya Kenin in the previous round, and has shown impressive adaptability on a clay surface not necessarily well tuned to her power game. If Coco Gauff is successful in her own Round of 16 match, she’ll face the winnoer of Baptiste-Keys.
With this many Americans having this much success on red clay, it might be worth checking whether Hell is freezing over, or Congress is telling the truth.