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Brazilian tennis professional Beatriz Haddad Maia faced the wrath of a section of fans after losing in the Italian Open quarter-finals in a three-set thriller on Tuesday (May 16).
The World No. 10 lost in what was the longest WTA match of the 2023 season, against Anhelina Kalinina in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open in Rome.
The Brazilian won the first set before the Ukrainian fought her way back into the game by leveling the score in the second set. However, Haddad Maia failed to capitalize on a 3-0 lead in the final set, as Kalinina won the tie after three hours and 41 minutes with the final score, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 6-3 in favor of Kalinina.
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Soon after the match, Beatriz Haddad Maia's social media posts were filled with hateful comments targeted at her loss against Kalinina in the last eight of the Italian Open.
Anhelina Kalinina will take on Veronika Kudermetova in the former's maiden WTA 1000 semi-final appearance. Speaking to the media after the match, the former World No. 28 thanked her coach as well as her fitness coach for winning the 'longest match of her career'.
"It feels great but I can't feel my body or my legs, I think it was the longest match of my career," the Ukrainian said. "Thanks to my coach and thanks to my fitness coach because this win is not my win. My part is 50 percent and 50 percent is my fitness coach."
Kalinina also heaped praise on her Brazilian counterpart for starting off really well and playing aggressive tennis.
"I started really well and I think it was my weakness because I was a little bit relaxed," Kalinina said. "Beatriz started to play really great, stepping in, playing really aggressive but I was just waiting after 5-2. I started aggressive but I started to lose my game. I'm sorry but if you're starting to push the ball, it's not going to work
Beatriz Haddad Maia in tears after her Italian Open QF loss in Rome
Beatriz Haddad Maia suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open. Devastated by her loss, the 26-year-old broke down in tears as she made her way off the court.
The quarter-final match between Haddad Maia and Anhelina Kalinina's three-hour and 41-minute match broke the record earlier held by Erika Andreeva and Harriet Dart's three-hour and 32-minute marathon at the ATX Open in February.
