Frances Tiafoe recently reacted to his twin brother Franklin’s split from Hailey Baptiste after serving as her coach. Franklin joined Baptiste’s team in January 2025, working alongside Eric Hechtman, who has previously coached tennis legends Serena Williams and Venus Williams.
The Tiafoe brothers and Baptiste have known each other for a long time, as they all come from the Washington, D.C., area and trained at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) in College Park, Maryland.
How Did Franklin Tiafoe’s Coaching Partnership With Hailey Baptiste Unfold?
Franklin played varsity tennis at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville and later competed for some time at Salisbury University in Maryland. His first coaching position was with the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation, and he also coached at Morgan State University before joining Baptiste’s team.
Franklin joined Baptiste’s team ahead of the 2025 Australian Open, marking a significant moment in both their careers. Her best results during the 2025 season included reaching the semifinals in doubles at the Charleston Open alongside Caty McNally, advancing to the quarterfinals in singles at the ASB Classic, and competing in doubles at the Citi DC Open alongside Venus Williams.
Recently, Franklin took to social media to share a photo of himself with Baptiste, announcing the end of his coaching stint. He referred to her as his “sister” and described coaching her as the “biggest blessing” he could have asked for.
“This last year has been one for the record books and being able to do it alongside my sister was the biggest blessing I could ask for. Thank you Hailey for giving me the opportunity to prove not only to myself but the world I have something to offer the game of tennis that we all love,” Franklin captioned his Instagram post.
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Franklin also stated that although their professional relationship has ended, he will remain her “biggest supporter.”
“Our professional relationship has come to an end but I will still be your biggest supporter in every aspect of your life. Go team Baptiste 2026 is your season,” he added.
Reacting to Franklin’s post, Tiafoe expressed that he was “proud” of the year his twin brother and Baptiste had on the professional tour.
“Year to be extremely proud massive thing ahead for both,” Tiafoe commented.
Baptiste also conveyed her appreciation to Franklin, thanking him for all he has done for her during their time working together.
“Love you Frank thanks for all that you do for me ❤️,” Baptiste wrote.
The former World No. 10 also shared Franklin’s post on his social media, reiterating his pride in both his brother and Baptiste.
“Proud of you both ❤️ ❤️,” Tiafoe captioned his Instagram story.
Baptiste’s final tournament of the 2025 tennis season was at the Toray Pan Pacific Open. She faced Maddison Inglis in the first qualifying round but retired during the third set, with the score at 6-2, 4-6, 0-1 retd.
