Hailey Baptiste was staring at an early exit at the Italian Open as a lights-out moment halted her game for a brief period. When the play eventually resumed, Baptistes’s fortunes turned as the American star registered a sensational victory 6-7(9), 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the round of 32.
Two of the Foro Italico’s outer courts’ lights went out, and the play was halted for a few minutes until it was sorted out on Sunday night. Baptiste’s match against Simona Waltert on Court 2 was one of those that was impacted, along with the match between Rebeka Masarova and Leylah Fernandez on the adjacent court. Both games were stopped simultaneously, and players and the public waited in the dark until the lights came back on.
It was a bizarre break at a stadium that has seen some of the biggest matches in the sport. The exterior courts of the Foro Italico do not carry the same atmosphere or infrastructure as the centre courts, and the short interruption of the power caused a jarring reminder of the difference. Tournament officials did not immediately reveal what caused the outage, but play was soon restored on both courts.
At the time of disruption, Baptiste was trailing 3-1 in the deciding set and was facing Waltert’s serve. However, she went on to win the third set, advancing to the next round of the draw. The first set was a tiebreak, won by Waltert 11-9, but Baptiste was able to calm herself and went on to win the next two sets. The Swiss player, who is 91 in the world rankings, had qualified for the main draw and had a respectable 15-13 season record, with nine wins on clay, but that wasn’t enough on the day against Baptiste.
the lights went out for a couple minutes during matches on the outer courts in Rome
pic.twitter.com/0DpdwhZisV
— Christian’s Court (@christianscourt) May 8, 2026
The match on the adjacent court produced an equally dramatic finish. In two hours and 23 minutes, Masarova, who was ranked 160 in the world, beat 25th seed Leylah Fernandez 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Masarova went 5-for-10 on break point opportunities to make a comeback, while hitting ten double faults during the game. Masarova equaled her best performance in a WTA 1000 event. Both games on the troubled courts were long contests, and both had upsets or scares of their own.
The win meant more than just the outcome for the 24-year-old American. She arrived in Rome as a seeded player for the first time in her career, a dramatic climb from world No. 90 to world No. 25 in just a few weeks. She has had a rapid rise and now finds herself in the upper echelons of the women’s game conversation. She entered the event with a 16-11 record (5-3 on clay) and had made it to the semifinals this season in both Abu Dhabi and Madrid. Her victory in Madrid against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was the highlight of that run, but not the only one. It was a glimpse of a player who was truly on a different level.
Hailey Baptiste’s rise makes her one to watch in Rome
The incident of the lights will be a footnote. The most important thing for Hailey Baptiste is what is to come and where she finds herself as Roland Garros nears. The American is a seeded player at a Grand Slam for the first time. A year ago, it was just a possibility that was far out there, and now the top 32-cut is well within reach.
Her next tournament challenge is on Sunday against former world No. 3 Elina Svitolina, who is one of the most experienced clay-court players in the women’s game. It will be a big step up over Waltert and will be a good gauge of Baptiste’s current level. The world No. 10 has been playing really well this year, as the record states 23-7 with an Australian Open semifinal finish. She defeated Noemi Basiletti in the second round in straight sets, and now gears up to play a third-round clash with a new world No. 25.
The two players have already met once this year at the Miami Open, where the American got the better of the 31-year-old in straight sets. This matchup is a repeat of last year’s round of 32 clash, as the same players locked horns in Rome at this stage, and the Ukrainian came out as a winner in three sets. Baptiste is a much-improved player than last year, and this clash will give her a lot of insight into what she can look forward to at the French Open.
In the meantime, Masarova will face one of the toughest opponents in the tournament, 5th seed Jessica Pegula, in her third-round matchup. Pegula will be a tough challenge for the Swiss qualifier, who has been the surprise of the women’s draw in Rome so far.
Baptiste’s bigger picture is Roland Garros. She’s in a position no one would have thought her in at the beginning of the season, having arrived at the second Grand Slam of the year with form on clay and a Sabalenka scalp to back her.
“I’ve definitely put in the work. I’ve been in the gutter and have had to climb out of it a thousand times. I’ve visualised myself in these moments; I’ve been close to these moments. I could kind of smell it. I’ve put myself in positions to get the reps to be a little more comfortable when I get closer to the finish line. I feel like I’ve earned this,” Baptiste said in Madrid on the Tennis Channel.
It was a minor inconvenience when the lights went out in Rome for a couple of minutes. All the other indicators of where she’s at now are very clear in the right direction.
