NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 12, 2022

Beatriz Haddad Maia

Press Conference

B. HADDAD MAIA/B. Bencic

2-6, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Big match victory. How are you feeling right now?

BEATRIZ HADDAD MAIA: I'm feeling happy, for sure. It's a special moment. We work a lot every day for a few years to live this moment.

And I'm proud of myself and my team. Because we start the match playing not the way that we wanted. So the first set I was missing a little bit more than the normal, than the other matches.

But I'm happy that I push myself to stay positive, to stay on the game. Because I know that the tennis match can change very fast.

So I was trying to just play every single point. And I was improving. I was feeling better. I was giving me one more chance, even if I was missing.

And then I would start to improve. In the end of the second set I was feeling great. And then I was ready in the third one. So I'm happy that I could, yeah, pass through this round.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Obviously there was a lot of Brazilian flags out there today. What does that mean to you to have that support here in Canada with all the Brazilians? And does that motivate you to want to keep going forward?

BEATRIZ HADDAD MAIA: Yeah, it's nice because Brazil is huge. So we have Brazilians everywhere. So I always feel the energy. Someone is always screaming, "Vamos Beatriz."

And today I saw a lot of like Brazilian flags. And I feel very proud of us. Because, especially being a woman, being from South America where we don't have a lot of players on the top playing Grand Slams and showing on the television to my country the tennis. So I'm very happy, proud and very thankful that they are coming to watch me.

Q. I just want to get your thoughts on your next match. Because I know you played Karolina a couple of times. I'm not sure how you familiar you are with Zheng Qinwen, but obviously she's having an incredible week just like you. So what are your thoughts on both of those potential opponents? And what do you think you really have to do tomorrow to be able to have success against them?

BEATRIZ HADDAD MAIA: Yeah, both of them are very tough players. I think, in 1000 semifinals, everybody's playing well, everybody's confident. It's time to just enjoy and leaving everything on the court.

Karolina I played twice and, twice or two times. I think twice. I won one and she won one. So she's a very aggressive player. She serves well. So it's very tough to play against players like that.

And also Zheng, we practice here. So we know each other a little bit. Because we play a lot of weeks same tournaments.

But, yeah, I'll try to think about my game. I'll try to improve my tennis. I'll try to do better things that I didn't do today. And, yeah, I try to enjoy the moment, yeah.

Q. I don't know if you had a chance to check your phone since the match, but you've kind of blown up a little bit on social media. Obviously, Brazilians, they show up everywhere. So I was wondering if you have a message maybe in Portuguese or in English for any of your Brazilian fans, because they are definitely celebrating back home right now.

BEATRIZ HADDAD MAIA: Okay. Do you want me to speak in Portuguese?

(Answer is Portuguese.)

Q. After the match Iga mentioned that one of the challenges of playing you is that you're left-handed. Not a lot of left-handed players on tour. I know Nadal was kind of forced to play left-handed. He was naturally right-handed. Are you naturally right-handed or did you, or left-handed, sorry, or did something you, like you practice from a young age to be playing left-handed?

BEATRIZ HADDAD MAIA: No, no, I was born as a lefty. My mom is lefty also. She plays with the left hand.

Yeah, it's just something that I am born, all the sports that I did in my life was with the left side.

And, yeah, for sure there is not a lot of players who are lefty. So I think that's one of positive things, qualities that I have. But, yeah, it's like everyone has your thing. And I'm lucky to be lefty, for sure.