Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia is hoping the return to clay courts will bring a fresh spark to her 2024 season. The 28-year-old, currently ranked No. 17 in the PIF WTA Rankings, will begin her European clay-court campaign with a tough first-round match against No. 7 seed Emma Navarro at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
Haddad Maia grew up in São Paulo on clay courts, inspired by Brazilian tennis legend Gustavo Kuerten. Kuerten, known affectionately as “Guga,” won the French Open three times, famously carving a heart into the clay at Roland Garros after his final title in 2001.
“All of us in Brazil, we grew up hearing about Roland Garros and Guga’s wins,” Haddad Maia told wtatennis.com. “Most courts in Brazil are clay, so we’re used to this surface. I like clay. The ball bounces more, and you get longer rallies. As a lefty, that helps me. This is the part of the season where I feel I can really improve.”
She’ll need that comfort on clay right away. Facing Navarro in the first round is no easy task — both players are in the WTA’s Top 20. Their match headlines Tuesday night’s lineup in Stuttgart.
Haddad Maia holds a career 30–25 record on clay and is looking to regain the form she showed late last year. In 2023, she reached the semifinals at Roland Garros — her best Grand Slam result yet — and made deep runs in Rome, Stuttgart, and Madrid. She also defeated Navarro in Madrid and again in Strasbourg earlier this year, giving her a 2–1 edge in their head-to-head meetings.
After a solid start to 2024 with a third-round appearance at the Australian Open, the Brazilian has faced some challenges in recent months. But she says her mindset remains focused.
“There are moments when I’m not playing my best tennis,” she said. “But for me, the solution is always the same — work hard, stay present, and keep a positive attitude.”
She added, “I’m not a genius. I know I need to work very hard to create opportunities.”
That hard work paid off during her 2023 clay-court run. She reached the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and Rome before her impressive semifinal showing in Paris. Her strong play last spring helped her break into the WTA Top 10 for the first time.
This season, she’s aiming to return to that elite level — and stay healthy along the way.
“Clay is a very different game,” Haddad Maia said. “But I have good memories, good feelings. I’m excited for what’s coming.”
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