Beatriz Haddad Maia has had her fair share of adversity during her career, overcoming career-threatening injuries and a doping suspension to break into the top ten back in 2023.
2025 WTA Tour
Grand Slam Tennis
French Open
Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France (Outdoor Clay)
Selected First Round Matches- 27th May
Beatriz Haddad Maia (23) 0.64 vs Hailey Baptiste 1.21
She picked up her most memorable result in this very event, reaching the semifinals during that 2023 campaign. She showed off that Grand Slam tenacity once again towards the end of last year, reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open. She has struggled this season, losing seven successive matches following her 3rd round run at the Aussie Open. But the Brazilian appears to have rounded into some form at the perfect time, reaching the semifinals at last week’s Internationaux de Strasbourg. She was back to her grittiest best in Strasbourg, taking down No.2 seed Emma Navarro before a three-set semifinal defeat to Rybakina. Next up she will be facing promising American Hailey Baptiste. Baptiste reached the 2nd round here last year and her game should be well suited to the conditions. Baptiste has a massive forehand that requires some time to set up (she has struggled against flatter hitters- especially on harder surfaces). These courts give her a bit of extra time to set up that forehand (they also allow her to incorporate her array of slices).
The Verdict: Haddad Maia to win in three at 3.3– Haddad Maia leads the head-to-head 1-0, beating the American in three sets at WTA 125 level back in 2022. Haddad Maia is a bit of three-set merchant and I can see this match following a similar pattern. The feisty Brazilian likes to get forward and can leave herself open to passing shots. Ultimately, I think her superior Grand Slam experience will see her over the line in three.
