Beatriz Haddad Maia’s announcement, 29, ending the season in advance and putting the racket aside-less for a while-was received with understanding and support by former athletes, technicians and experts.
The decision, although it implies falling in the Ranking of WTA (Association of Professional Tenists), is seen as necessary for the Brazilian to regain physical and mental balance.
“I think she did well. Tennis is a lifestyle that requires a lot on the mental side. If the moment is troubled, it is difficult to have expressive results. The emotional part is as important as physics. These pauses, this removal of the tennis player routine, can make her come back even stronger. The ranking is secondary now,” he told the Sheet Thomaz Bellucci, former number 21 of the world in simple.
Currently young promises technician, Bellucci officially left the courts in February 2023, on Rio Open, and has spoken openly about the depression faced in the final stretch of his career. According to him, the moment lasted about five years, having its peak in 2020.
“In the last years of my career I was very difficult. I could not accept the results I was having. It was strong what happened in Seoul, but very common. The difference is that some athletes disguise more,” he says.
The decision to stop for a period comes after months of signs of wear. Current 40th place, Bia reached the world’s top 10 in 2023 and established himself as a reference in South American tennis, but faced two turbulent years, with injuries, unexpected defeats and emotional crises on the court.
In the last of these, in the seoul WTA 500, caught the attention of the world of tennis the image of the paulistana on the edge of the court, passing the towel on the face with visible difficulty to breathe. Microphones captured the effort to pull the air. During the medical care, the hands of the Brazilian trembled as she tried to hold a bottle of water.
“The central nervous system controls the emotions and even interferes with the motor part,” says former Brazilian Patricia Patricia, Brazilian with more time in the Top 100 of the WTA and silver medalist in the 1975 PAN. “We saw that she knew what to do on the court, but we couldn’t perform. This is a sign that mental wear has exceeded all the limits.”
For Medrado, the break may be a watershed: “The ranking will fall, of course, but that decision takes a huge weight from her back. When you are defending points, the pressure is giant. Now, she can come back lighter, without the obligation to defend anything, just aim up.
Similar cases are not rare. In January of this year, Russian Andrey Rublev, then number 9 of ATP (Association of Professional Tennisers), gave strong statements admitting that he became antidepressants in 2024, after Wimbledon, and “lost meaning in living life.” He treated the disease with therapy sessions.
“It was visible that she [Bia] I was suffering, “said Luís Stival, a professional tennis performance analyst, responsible for the YouTube Tennis channel besides the obvious.” It was a brave gesture to admit that needed to stop. The tennis circuit is emotionally brutal, which most demands from all sports. You saw a different Bia, and that moves a lot with any athlete. This pause is an act of humanity and greatness, “he says.
Former number 2 in the world in pairs and two Grand Slam winner, Bruno Soares says he believes that if he mentally recovered, Bia “will have a level to be again among the 10 in the world,” but for that, he needs to be well with herself.
“It is much more important to return rested and prepared for 2026 than to insist now and wear out even more,” he synthesized.
Experienced former tennis player and coach Ricardo Acioly, the sparrow, associates with the recent case involving Americana Amanda Anysimova, who stopped competing for almost a year. Interestingly, she crossed Bia Haddad’s way in the UPE Open Endowment of Upstall Estaver earlier this month.
“The impact on the ranking exists, but it will not be devastating. The key is that she will have time to adjust her game, analyze what did not work this season and come back more competitive. We saw other players, such as AniSimova, do the same and return at very high level,” said Pardal.
The 22 -year -old athlete had to paralyze her career twice: for the early loss of her father and coach at 17 and Burnout. On her Instagram, the tennis player reported that she was “fighting her mental health” and that tennis had become “unbearable”.
“She is not doing this because she wants to take a vacation. There is a weight for carrying the Brazilian women’s tennis torch alone in recent years,” adds sparrow.
In June, it was the turn of the Tunisian Ons Jabeur to announce the removal of the courts for the same reason. It would be the main international attraction of the first edition of SP Open, WTA 250 played in the country.
Bia has not stipulated a deadline for his return, but let it happen in his letter of departure: “Tennis, I love you. Soon we see each other again.”
