Comeback queen! Beatriz Haddad Maia turns tide to beat Ons Jabeur for first major semifinal
The Brazilian served at 3-6, 5-5, 15-40, before mounting her third successive rally from a set down at Roland Garros Wednesday.
Beatriz Haddad Maia had never been beyond the second round in 11 major main-draw appearances before arriving at Roland Garros. She’s now the first Brazilian woman in the Open Era to reach the semifinals at the crown jewel of the European clay-court season thanks to her ability to consistency dig herself out of deficits.
Down a set and serving at 5-5, 15-40, Haddad Maia surged to overcome seventh-seeded Ons Jabeur, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1, on Wednesday inside Court Philippe Chatrier. The 27-year-old has rallied from a set down in three successive rounds and has posted four straight three-set wins en route to the final four. Her victory over Jabeur marked her first Top 10 victory on the Grand Slam stage and fourth this season.
“I think the key was to try and think the same way I felt in the last rounds,” she told Tennis Channel’s Jon Wertheim. “I was with the pressure there. I had to push my level up because I knew she wasn’t going to give me anything.”
Two days earlier, the left-hander edged Sara Sorribes Tormo, 7-5, in the third after three hours and 51 minutes—recovering from double-faulting to drop serve with the match on her racquet at 5-4. Haddad Maia is projected to make her Top 10 debut on Monday unless she loses in the semifinals and Karolina Muchova wins the title.
Jabeur was hoping to reach her third major semifinal in 12 months, following runner-up finishes at Wimbledon and the US Open last year. The former world No. 2 went to the drop shot 25 times—resulting in seven winners and six unforced errors. By contrast, Haddad Maia only attempted two, producing a winner and forced error.
After battling to take the tie-break with a brilliant forehand winner up the line out of Jabeur’s reach, Haddad Maia jumped out to a double-break lead to launch their deciding set. Though her opponent would get one back, Haddad Maia staved off four break points by sliding her serve out toward her opponent’s backhand to arrive at 5-1—and broke to close out the comeback.