Beatriz Haddad Maia was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1996, the year after Gustavo Kuerten became a professional tennis player, and a year before he amazed Paris by securing his first Roland Garros title.
“Guga” Kuerten went on to become a three-time French Open champion in five years, famously drawing a heart on the red clay as he celebrated his final victory in 2001.
“Every Brazilian, including myself, grew up hearing stories about Roland Garros and Guga’s triumphs,” Haddad Maia shared in an interview from Stuttgart. “Most of the tennis courts in Brazil are clay, so we naturally feel more comfortable playing on this surface.”
“I genuinely enjoy playing on clay. The higher bounce of the ball allows for longer rallies, and being a lefty is also an advantage. This part of the year is crucial for me, and I believe I can elevate my game.”
Her clay-court abilities will be immediately tested in Stuttgart with a night match against No. 7 seed Emma Navarro. The tournament field is so competitive that this first-round match features two Top 20 players.
Haddad Maia, who has a 30-25 career record on clay, hopes that two months on European clay will restore the confidence she gained last fall. She reached the final in Cleveland, the quarterfinals at the US Open, and won the WTA 500 event in Seoul, winning 12 out of 14 matches during that period.
However, despite reaching the third round at the Australian Open in January, this year has been challenging. Haddad Maia emphasizes that hard work remains the key to improvement.
“There have been times when my performance wasn`t at its peak,” she admitted. “For me, the solution has always been to work diligently, stay focused on the present, and maintain the positive mindset that has characterized my career.”
“It’s about having a resilient mentality and staying true to myself. I focus on controlling what I can and not worrying about the rest. I`m not exceptionally gifted; I understand that creating opportunities requires hard work.”
This approach proved successful in 2023 when Haddad Maia had an impressive run on clay. After reaching the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and Rome, she reached the semifinals at Roland Garros, her best Grand Slam result to date.
Last year in Madrid, Haddad Maia reached the quarterfinals, defeating Navarro before losing to Iga Swiatek in three sets.
Haddad Maia holds a 2-1 lead over Navarro in their head-to-head record, with both of her victories occurring on clay within a month. In addition to her Madrid win last year, she also defeated Navarro at Strasbourg in 2024.
There shouldn’t be any major surprises in their upcoming match, as Haddad Maia and Navarro sometimes practice together, most recently in Merida, Mexico, in February.
“It will definitely be a tough match,” Haddad Maia acknowledged. “Navarro had a fantastic year last year, transitioning from college tennis to the professional circuit. It’s inspiring to see players improve and raise the overall level of competition.”
“I will focus on playing my best and hope that it works out again.”
Haddad Maia is currently ranked No. 17 in the WTA rankings, and her goal is to break into the Top 10 again, as she did after her semifinal appearance in Paris two years ago, and to maintain her health.
“Clay court tennis is a very different game,” Haddad Maia concluded. “I have positive feelings and good memories associated with it. I’m very enthusiastic about what lies ahead.”
