Baker Reacts To 20-0 Challenger Doubles Record In 2016

You’re 20-0, five straight Challenger titles through 2016. How much of it has been you and how much of it has been your partners or even luck?

I think it’s always a team effort. I’ve been fortunate to play with good partners every week, Ryan Harrison, Sam Groth twice, Matt Reid and Mackenzie McDonald. It’s been a really fun year in doubles. I still haven’t found my stride yet in singles, but I look to keep playing more doubles next year and hopefully keep getting my [Emirates ATP Doubles] ranking up because I don’t have a point coming off until Savannah.

With scoring in doubles, things can get away from you with a bad give minutes. What does that say about your mental composure and that of your partners in not losing a match this year?

I think it just shows that we haven’t really had an off match. You have some matches where you play better than others, but we haven’t had a 10-minute stretch of bad tennis where we could lose the match. And the key is not losing many sets. [Laughs]. I think I’ve only lost three sets this year in Challengers. Obviously in a Match Tie-break, if you get a letcord or double fault once, it can change the momentum. The key is just to be steady and play well on deuce points.

Chris Guccione has the current record-winning streak in Challenger doubles with 33 matches. Is that something you think about at all?

Not at all. I didn’t even know there was a streak. Maybe I’d think about it if I got to 32 or 33, but right now I’m just trying to get my [Emirates ATP Doubles] ranking up and get inside the Top 50 or Top 40. Obviously a streak of that magnitude is significant, but it’s not something I’m thinking about.