Showtime in Sao Paulo! Haddad Maia pulls off a tweener-to-winner masterpiece

It took just three games for Beatriz Haddad Maia to deliver one of the year’s most memorable moments.

Playing as the top seed at the SP Open in Sao Paulo, the Brazilian produced a dazzling piece of improvisation against qualifier Miriana Tona. After a long exchange, Haddad Maia sprinted toward the baseline, slid into position and pulled off a perfectly timed tweener -- then followed it up with a clean backhand winner down the line.

The crowd loved it. The commentator’s immediate reaction -- “How entertaining was that?” -- said it all.

Haddad Maia went on to win the match 6-1, 6-1, advancing to the quarterfinals before her run came to an end. But the point itself stood apart: quick thinking, athleticism and precise execution in front of a home audience.

Now ranked No. 34, the former Top 10 player remains one of the tour’s most dynamic shot-makers -- and her Sao Paulo tweener earns her September’s Shot of the Month.