Style Guide: Headband controversy can't stop Hailey Baptiste’s Roland Garros run

PARIS, France — Tennis fashion has taken center stage at this year’s Roland Garros, with players pushing the boundaries of on-court style—leather jackets, long skirts, and even longer nails included.

But for American Hailey Baptiste, it was a simple black headband that summoned the Paris fashion police on Saturday, just before her third-round clash against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

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As soon as the Washington D.C. native stepped onto Court 14, she was swiftly pulled aside by chair umpire Aline Rocha of Brazil, who informed her that her all-black Nike outfit violated tournament regulations.

The issue? The Swoosh logo on her headband was too large—which was news for Baptiste.

“I’ve already played three matches here with the same headband… Yeah, I was surprised,” Baptiste explained to Rocha as she argued her case.

“We tried to cover it with a marker, but the material won’t let it stay on… For my next match, I will get a new one with a smaller logo. But for today, I don’t have anything else to wear.”

Grand Slam supervisor Denise Parnell, the first female referee at Wimbledon, was called to the court to assess the situation, delaying the start of play by several minutes. Ultimately, Parnell agreed to make a one-time exception for the headband.

The officials also flagged the size of the Jumpman logo on the player’s right arm sleeve. Baptiste quickly turned it inside out, and was finally cleared to play.

According to the ITF’s 2025 Official Grand Slam Rulebook, sponsor logos on players’ attire have to be ‘minimal’ in size: “One (1) manufacturer’s identification not to exceed two (2) square inches (13 sq.cm) shall be permitted.” (Article III, Section C: Dress and Equipment, Sub-Section 2e: Hat, Headband, Wristband or Masks)

At the Australian Open earlier this year, Baptiste wore a regulation headband during her first-round appearance. She then returned to her signature oversized look for WTA events, where logo restrictions are more relaxed. She sported the same exact black Nike headband in Madrid and Rome—but will now have to switch things up when she returns to face No. 7 Madison Keys in the fourth round.

The fashion hiccup was the only blip on an otherwise stellar day for the 23-year-old, who charged past Bouzas Maneiro 7-6 (4), 6-1 to reach the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

Read More: Eight Americans are into the second week at Roland Garros for the first time in 40 years

Coached by Eric Hechtman and Franklin Tiafoe—the twin brother of No. 15 seed Frances Tiafoe, one of three American men in the fourth round in Paris—Baptiste is riding high with confidence and momentum. Sitting at a career-high ranking of No. 70, she’s poised to rise even higher after her Roland Garros breakthrough.

“I think I've just been believing in myself. I've been consistent with just the way I've been approaching my matches,” she told press earlier this week.

“I've got a good team around me right now. They're instilling a lot of confidence in me, as well. I think that's been a big, big part of it.”