Beatriz Haddad Maia, born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1996, grew up inspired by Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten`s success. Kuerten, a Brazilian tennis icon, became a professional the year after Haddad Maia was born and famously won his first French Open title the following year.
Kuerten went on to win three French Open titles in five years, becoming known for his passionate celebrations on the court, including drawing a heart in the clay during his final victory in 2001.
“Growing up in Brazil, everyone heard about Roland Garros and Guga’s victories,” Haddad Maia mentioned in an interview at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. “Most tennis courts in Brazil are clay, so we are very familiar with this surface.”
She added, “I really enjoy playing on clay. The higher bounce allows for longer rallies, and being a left-handed player can be an advantage. This part of the year is a great opportunity for me to improve my game.”
Haddad Maia is set to face a tough challenge in Stuttgart, playing against No. 7 seed Emma Navarro in the first round. This demonstrates the high level of competition at the event, with two Top 20 players competing so early in the tournament.
Haddad Maia, with a career record of 30-25 on clay courts, hopes to regain the confidence that fueled her strong performances last fall during the European clay season. Last year, she reached the final in Cleveland, the quarterfinals at the US Open, and won the WTA 500 event in Seoul, achieving 12 wins out of 14 matches during that period.
However, this year has been more challenging for her after reaching the third round at the Australian Open in January. Haddad Maia believes that hard work is the key to overcoming this.
“There have been times when my performance wasn`t at its peak,” she admitted. “For me, the solution has always been to work hard, stay focused on the present, and maintain a positive attitude, as I have throughout my career.”
She continued, “It’s about having a tough mindset and staying true to myself. I focus on controlling what I can and not worrying about the rest. I’m not exceptionally gifted, so I know I need to work very hard to create opportunities.”
This approach proved successful in 2023 when Haddad Maia had an impressive run on clay. After reaching the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and Rome, she achieved her best Grand Slam result by reaching the semifinals at Roland Garros.
Last year in Madrid, Haddad Maia reached the quarterfinals, defeating Navarro on the way before losing to Iga Swiatek in three sets.
Haddad Maia has a 2-1 lead in her head-to-head record against Navarro, with both of her victories on clay courts. Besides her Madrid win last year, she also defeated Navarro in Strasbourg in 2024.
Both players are familiar with each other`s game, having practiced together, including recently in Merida, Mexico, in February.
“It will definitely be a difficult match,” Haddad Maia acknowledged. “Navarro had a fantastic year after coming from college. It’s great to see players improve and raise the level of competition.”
She concluded, “I will focus on playing my best and see if it’s enough to win again.”
Haddad Maia is currently ranked No. 17 in the WTA rankings and aims to break into the Top 10 again, a goal she achieved after her Roland Garros semifinal appearance two years ago. Staying healthy is also a key priority for her.
“Clay court tennis is a very different game,” Haddad Maia stated. “I have positive feelings and good memories on this surface. I’m very excited for the upcoming season.”
Rupert Caldwell