The Brazilian has decided to step away from the game until 2027.
Beatriz Haddad Maia has struggled both on the court and off in 2026. Now, she’ll cut her season short, with plans to come back stronger in 2027, on a protected ranking.
The former World No.10, who in 2023 became the first woman from Brazil to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since 1968, stumbled to a 4-19 record this season. She last played at Wimbledon.
“I know I kind of disappeared and I used this time to reflect a lot,” she said, speaking in her native Portuguese on Instagram.
Haddad Maia, ranked 156, confirmed that she plans to take the rest of the year off and return in 2027 with a protected ranking.
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“It’s a decision I’ve been dealing with mentally for a few months,” she said. “It hasn’t been easy — for those of you who’ve been following me on the court, my relationship with tennis hasn’t been easy. So I really wanted to share this with you.”
Haddad Maia’s personal life has had some triumph of late. She got engaged to Alex Daoud in early July.
“Decisions seem very easy to make, but in reality, they’re very internal. I kept fighting a lot against things that were actually more external. I did make changes, I made decisions, I tried different paths, and this moment of taking this break has arrived.”
Chris Oddo. Chris Oddo is a freelance sportswriter, podcaster, blogger and social media marker who is a lead contributor to Tennisnow.com. He also writes for USOpen.org, Rolandgarros.com, BNPParibasOpen.com, TennisTV.com, WTAtennis.com and the official US Open program.