Injuries are part of professional tennis, but two of the most upsetting happened to up-and-coming players Hailey Baptiste and Victoria Mboko in 2026.
Both were catastrophic season-ending injuries. Tennis fans are optimistic that Baptiste and Mboko will be back in 2027. Neither player has committed to a definite return date yet.
MORE: Hailey Baptiste stuns WTA Madrid crowd with Aryna Sabalenka masterclass
Baptiste recovering from torn ACL
Baptiste, 24, achieved her career-high WTA World No. 25 ranking in early May. She beat then World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka weeks before at the Madrid Open.
Everything was headed in the right direction until she landed in a funny way at Roland Garros, fell to the ground, and cried out in pain. It was a torn ACL requiring surgery. Injuries plagued her before, but she never required surgery to recover.
She admits that her life has taken a quieter turn with physical therapy the biggest task of the day. Baptiste is making the most of her downtime by spending time with friends and family in her native Washington, DC, something she rarely gets to do.
Baptiste credits her coaches Franklin Tiafoe (twin brother of Frances) and Will Woodall and her father for sticking by her through the recovery process. She said: “They’ve been with me literally every step of the way. I think I spent maybe four days apart from them, and they’re the ones that are really helping me to get through this and making me feel some sort of comfort.”
MORE: Victoria Mboko injured during HSBC Championships singles match, doubles with Serena uncertain
Mboko recovering from MCL injury
Victoria Mboko had the thrill of a lifetime playing doubles with her childhood idol Serena Williams in Queens. The two won their first round match before Mboko suffered an MCL injury that ended her season.
Serena Williams after winning her 1st match back in 4 years with Vicky Mboko "Why now? Why here? What is to come?" Serena: "I mean, I don’t know. I had nothing better to do. I got tired of sitting at home." 😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/VLSJUEK8sg
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 9, 2026
She was unable to defend her Canadian Open title but came to the tournament anyway.
🇨🇦 victoria mboko featured among canadian sporting legends in an ad for canadian tire! https://t.co/sUCJNav3ts
— victoria mboko updates (@mbokodaily) October 17, 2026
Mboko climbed into the Top 10 for the first time in March 2026 as a 19-year-old. She is hopeful to be back toward the beginning of the season to continue her rise to be one of the biggest stars of the game.
Counting down the days until Vicky is back on tour in 2027 💚 Until then, Vicky Mboko goes Behind the Curtain and reflects on what it feels like in the tunnel before a match, the moment we’re all eagerly awaiting. Watch Now: https://t.co/koTNzT5IiF #RallyTheWorld https://t.co/nUlPIcJVOK
— wta (@WTA) October 24, 2026
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