Sixth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia will begin her Korea Open campaign against local wild card Dayeon Back in the first round.
The Brazilian has experienced an inconsistent singles season, highlighted by a semifinal appearance in Strasbourg and a quarterfinal run in Bad Homburg, but also marked by several early-round defeats. Her US Open journey concluded in the fourth round against Amanda Anisimova. Haddad Maia’s game is defined by her left-handed power, producing 97 aces across 38 matches this year while winning 64.7% of her first-serve points and converting 41.4% of break point chances. She has found more consistent success in doubles, notably winning the Nottingham title alongside Laura Siegemund.
Her opponent, 23-year-old Dayeon Back, is making her third consecutive appearance at her home tournament via a wild card. Back has a solid record on the ITF Circuit, with nine singles and nine doubles titles to her name. This year, she has captured titles in Daegu and Montasir and reached the finals at two events in Nonthaburi. The Seoul tournament will serve as her first WTA main-draw test of the season.
This match will be the first career meeting between the two players. While Back will have the support of the home crowd and could challenge the sixth seed with aggressive play, Haddad Maia’s superior tour-level experience and powerful serve are expected to carry her through the opening round.
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