Takoma Park Tennis Star Named to USA National Junior Team

TAKOMA PARK, MD — A local Takoma Park tennis player earned a spot on the 2017 USA National Junior team, a training program designed to give a collection of America's best young players opportunities to train together during the summer and travel to play against top junior competition from around the world.

Hailey Baptiste, 15, of Takoma Park is ranked No. 40 in the world among all juniors and recently made the quarterfinals of the Girls' 18s singles draw at the prestigious Easter Bowl junior tournament last month.

Baptiste made the team with seven other players from across the U.S. Players qualified for the team through meeting one or several results- or ranking-based criteria, or through a playoff, which was held last week at the USTA National Campus at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla. Players were invited for the playoff based on tournament results, USTA national or ITF world ranking.

USTA Player Development will provide the National Junior Team with training opportunities and coaching and travel assistance to select USTA National Championships, ITF junior and USTA Pro Circuit tournaments throughout the summer, beginning with the USTA Pro Circuit $25,000 event in Naples, Fla., this week.

Photos: US Tennis Association