Tennis Acumen

Beatriz Haddad Maia Wins Biggest Tourney of Her Career at $50K ITF Fountain Hills at CopprWynd Resort

PETE ZIEBRON in FOUNTAIN HILLS

Runner-up Kristie Ahn, Marcus Vinicios Barbosa, the coach of Beatriz Haddad Maia and Champion Beatriz Haddad Maia in the trophy ceremony in Fountain Hills.  Pete Ziebron Images

Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil once again brought her power game to the final of the $50K ITF CopperWynd Women's Pro Challenge in Fountain Hills, Arizona yesterday, holding off American Kristie Ahn 7-6(4) 7-6(2) to win the biggest tournament of her young career.

Kristie Ahn jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the opening set, breaking in the 3rd game of the opening set and then comfortably holding serve in the next game.  However, Haddad Maia would hold at love, break Ahn at 15 and then hold yet again to square the set at four apiece.

The Brazilian would then break Ahn again and proceed to hold a set point before being broken herself, leveling the set a 5-all.  Ahn would win the next game on a fortunate net cord and Haddad Maia won the following game at 30 to take the opening set to a breaker.

Beatriz Haddad Maia would race to a 6-2 lead when Ahn got within striking distance at 4-6 before the Brazilian ultimately closed out the opening set on serve.

Kristie Ahn leaves an 8 foot skid mark on the court in all absolute all out effort to chase down a drop shot.  Pete Ziebron Images

Kristie Ahn would get a fairly early break in the second set at love to take a 2-1 lead and would consolidate the break to lead 3-1.  However, Ahn would be broken in each of her next two service games, double faulting each time at break point and the set would ultimately reach 4-4. 

Haddad Maia woud hold a Match Point on Ahn's serve in the 10th game of the set, however the American steadied her game in the nick of time to stave off the Championship Point.  Now the Brazilian served at 5-all but double faulted to let Ahn back into the set.

At this point, Haddad Maia called for the trainer to have het foot checked.  Sure enough, after the delay, Ahn fell behind 0-30, won the next point but dropped the game to send the 2nd set to a tiebreak.

Kristie Ahn won the first point of the breaker as well as the fourth to level at 2-2, however that would be the last point that she would win as Beatriz Haddad Maia won the final five points of the match to prevail 7-6(4) 7-6(2) to win the biggest tournament of her career.  With the win, Haddad Maia rises in the WTA rankings from world #271 to world #211.  Kristie Ahn advances from world #242 to #220 with her appearance in the Fountain Hills Final.

Finalists Melanie Oudin and Samantha Crawford next to Fountain Hills Champions Taylor Townsend and Ingrid Neel.  Pete Ziebron Images

Earlier, Americans Taylor Townsend and Ingrid Neel defeated fellow Americans Samantha Crawford and Melanie Oudin 6-4 6-3 to win the Doubles tournament.

 

Biggest Career Title Awaits Kristie Ahn or Beatriz Haddad Maia in Fountain Hills {Scottsdale}

PETE ZIEBRON in FOUNTAIN HILLS / SCOTTSDALE

 Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia advances to Sunday's Final.  Pete Ziebron Images

Saturday's semifinals at the CopperWynd Women's Pro Challenge in Fountain Hills, Arizona started with absolutely gorgeous conditions - 80F sunny and cloudless skies with a light wind.  The $50K event in its second year is managed by Cliff Drysdale Tennis and benefits ACEing Autism. 

American Kayla Day, a 17-year old upstart from Santa Barbara, California marched into the semifinal with an 8 match winning streak.  Day, the Champion last week at the $50K ITF Challenger in Macon, Georgia did not drop a set in her three matches in Fountain Hills and had won 16 of the last 17 sets she played.

Day's opponent in the first semifinal was Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, a 20- year old from Sao Paulo who also did not drop a set in Fountain Hills heading into the match.  Arriving into the semifinal, the Brazilian dispatched #1 seed Nicole Gibbs in the second round as well as #8 seed Barbara Haas in yesterday's quarterfinal.

Expectations are high for 17 year-old American Kayla Day.  Pete Ziebron Images

Kayla Day won the toss and elected to serve, however before the match started, Day left the court to use the toilet, perhaps a strategic move that is used in each and every match by Venus Williams.  Following the toilet break, Day held at 15 to take a 1-0 lead. 

In fact, each player held serve comfortably in the first five games of the match.  Maia would occasionally shuffle her feet as Day served in an obvious attempt to throw the young American off her service motion however the tactic yielded little to no success as Day managed to hold serve, despite the distractions.  {Sitting courtside, the shuffling of the feet by Maia was indeed audible and credit to Day for staying mentally strong to block out the potential noise impediment.}

As Maia served at 2-3 in the opening set, she fell behind 30-40 as well as ad out but managed to hold serve to square the match at 3-3.  Yet again, Maia noisily shuffled her feet as Day served and this time it may have had an impact as Day lost both points when the tactic was implemented.  Sure enough, Maia broke on her first opportunity to take a 4-3 lead in the opening set. 

Beatriz Haddad Maia brought a very powerful game on court today against a young American and it appeared at this juncture in the match that she would put an exclamation point on the first set and possibly the match as she served with new balls.  However, Day had other ideas and broke back on her first opportunity at 30-40 to level the match at 4-4.

Maia would break right back and then serve out the opening set at love to win it 6-4.  These two games would begin the run of seven consecutive games as Maia would race to a 5-0 lead in the second set and serve for the match.  Day would continue to fight, breaking Maia at love but would be broken back at 30 as Beatriz Haddad Maia advanced to Sunday's Final with a 6-4 6-1 win in 81 minutes.

Kristie Ahn will attempt to win the biggest title of her career on Sunday.  Pete Ziebron Images

Next, two Americans matched up in the second semifinal as #4 seed Jennifer Brady took on Kristie Ahn.  Brady raced to a 6-2 opening set win and appeared to be in command of the match,

However, just as she did in yesterday's quarterfinal match against Russina Varvara Flink, Ahn played steady tennis and allowed her opponent to make the majority of the mistakes as she would eventually advance with a 2-6 6-4 6-4 win over her fellow American opponent.  The players combined for 10 of 35 break points won in the 2 hour and 32 minute match, but quite honestly Kristie Ahn could care less as she will play for the biggest tournament win of her career on Sunday. 

Kristie Ahn will play Beatriz Haddad Maia at 12 noon, followed by the doubles final, featuring Americans Samantha Crawford and Melanie Oudin vs. fellow Americans Taylor Townsend and Ingrid Neel.

 

 

 

Biggest Career Title Awaits Kristie Ahn or Beatriz Haddid Maia in Fountain Hills {Scottsdale}

PETE ZIEBRON in FOUNTAIN HILLS / SCOTTSDALE

 Brazilian Beatriz Haddid Maia advances to Sunday's Final.  Pete Ziebron Images

Saturday's semifinals at the CopperWynd Women's Pro Challenge in Fountain Hills, Arizona started with absolutely gorgeous conditions - 80F sunny and cloudless skies with a light wind.  The $50K event in its second year is managed by Cliff Drysdale Tennis and benefits ACEing Autism. 

American Kayla Day, a 17-year old upstart from Santa Barbara, California marched into the semifinal with an 8 match winning streak.  Day, the Champion last week at the $50K ITF Challenger in Macon, Georgia did not drop a set in her three matches in Fountain Hills and had won 16 of the last 17 sets she played.

Day's opponent in the first semifinal was Brazilian Beatriz Haddid Maia, a 20- year old from Sao Paulo who also did not drop a set in Fountain Hills heading into the match.  Arriving into the semifinal, the Brazilian dispatched #1 seed Nicole Gibbs in the second round as well as #8 seed Barbara Haas in yesterday's quarterfinal.

Expectations are high for 17 year-old American Kayla Day.  Pete Ziebron Images

Kayla Day won the toss and elected to serve, however before the match started, Day left the court to use the toilet, perhaps a strategic move that is used in each and every match by Venus Williams.  Following the toilet break, Day held at 15 to take a 1-0 lead. 

In fact, each player held serve comfortably in the first five games of the match.  Maia would occasionally shuffle her feet as Day served in an obvious attempt to throw the young American off her service motion however the tactic yielded little to no success as Day managed to hold serve, despite the distractions.  {Sitting courtside, the shuffling of the feet by Maia was indeed audible and credit to Day for staying mentally strong to block out the potential noise impediment.}

As Maia served at 2-3 in the opening set, she fell behind 30-40 as well as ad out but managed to hold serve to square the match at 3-3.  Yet again, Maia noisily shuffled her feet as Day served and this time it may have had an impact as Day lost both points when the tactic was implemented.  Sure enough, Maia broke on her first opportunity to take a 4-3 lead in the opening set. 

Beatriz Haddid Maia brought a very powerful game on court today against a young American and it appeared at this juncture in the match that she would put an exclamation point on the first set and possibly the match as she served with new balls.  However, Day had other ideas and broke back on her first opportunity at 30-40 to level the match at 4-4.

Maia would break right back and then serve out the opening set at love to win it 6-4.  These two games would begin the run of seven consecutive games as Maia would race to a 5-0 lead in the second set and serve for the match.  Day would continue to fight, breaking Maia at love but would be broken back at 30 as Beatriz Haddid Maia advanced to Sunday's Final with a 6-4 6-1 win in 81 minutes.

Kristie Ahn will attempt to win the biggest title of her career on Sunday.  Pete Ziebron Images

Next, two Americans matched up in the second semifinal as #4 seed Jennifer Brady took on Kristie Ahn.  Brady raced to a 6-2 opening set win and appeared to be in command of the match,

However, just as she did in yesterday's quarterfinal match against Russina Varvara Flink, Ahn played steady tennis and allowed her opponent to make the majority of the mistakes as she would eventually advance with a 2-6 6-4 6-4 win over her fellow American opponent.  The players combined for 10 of 35 break points won in the 2 hour and 32 minute match, but quite honestly Kristie Ahn could care less as she will play for the biggest tournament win of her career on Sunday. 

Kristie Ahn will play Beatriz Haddid Maia at 12 noon, followed by the doubles final, featuring Americans Samantha Crawford and Melanie Oudin vs. fellow Americans Taylor Townsend and Ingrid Neel.