Beatriz “Bia” Haddad Maia has stepped away from competitive tennis at a difficult point in her career, and her latest update has added a physical setback to an already challenging period. The former world No. 10 recently announced an indefinite break from competition as she looked to take some time away from the demands of the WTA Tour. Now, the Brazilian has revealed that she has undergone surgery on her left shoulder, giving her another issue to deal with during her time away from the court.

Haddad Maia shared the news directly with her supporters on social media, posting a picture of herself wearing a brace on her left shoulder and arm.

“Hi, guys! I’m here to share with you that I just had my left shoulder surgery. Now I will take this moment to focus 100% on my recovery and return to the courts in the best possible way. Thank you all for the affection!,” her post read.

The surgery comes after Haddad Maia had already spoken openly about needing a break from competitive tennis. In a video shared with her followers a few weeks earlier, she explained that the demands surrounding her career had started to weigh on her.

“I’m making this video out of respect for all of you who root so hard for me, who have so much affection for me and have always supported me so much. I really want to be able to learn and discover things. There are things in life that aren’t just external.”

For Haddad Maia, stepping away was not simply about taking time off from tennis. She explained that some of the decisions she had been making were shaped by expectations from outside rather than what she personally needed.

“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.”

The constant travel, changing time zones, and pressure that comes with playing high-stakes matches had all become part of the bigger picture.

Haddad Maia is no stranger to setbacks

The shoulder surgery is not the first major physical setback Haddad Maia has faced during her career.

Back in 2015, the Brazilian dealt with a serious shoulder injury that required surgery. Her season was eventually cut short after another injury at the Pan American Games in Toronto, keeping her away from competition for several months.

She later returned to the tour and rebuilt her career, eventually reaching the top 10 and becoming one of Brazil’s leading players.

Another unusual setback came during the 2023 WTA season. Haddad Maia suffered deep cuts to her hands after a glass shower door in her Guadalajara hotel room shattered. The injury required medical treatment and forced her to withdraw from the Guadalajara Open.

It was another interruption at a time when her ranking was moving in the right direction.

Those experiences make her latest decision significant. Haddad Maia has shown before that she can come back from difficult physical setbacks, but this time she is also trying to address what has been happening away from the court.

Rather than immediately trying to get back onto the tour, Haddad Maia can now concentrate on recovering from her shoulder surgery while taking the time she feels she needs away from competition. 

The immediate priority is getting her shoulder healthy and giving herself the space she asked for when she announced her break.

After everything she has dealt with throughout her career, the Brazilian will now have to work through another setback before she can think about her next match.