👧 Maria Clara Martins de Souza | Tennis Papers interview, December 2025

“My dream is to be a professional tennis player and win all 4 Grand Slams.”

Meet Maria Clara Martins de Souza, Brazilian girl junior tennis player who lives in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil and competing in U18 tennis category.
Maria is preparing to play COSAT tournaments abroad and is determined to earn her first ITF points.

(Information gathered via an exclusive interview by Tennis Papers).

📘 Maria Clara Martins de Souza | Biography, December 2025

🌴 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil 🇧🇷

☕ Famous for coffee and agribusiness heritage
🌳 Enjoy green parks and open plazas
🍹 Lively bars, music & nightlife scene
🏟️ Strong love for sports & local pride
🌇 Warm, energetic and welcoming atmosphere

🎙️Maria Clara Martins de Souza | Interview, December 2025

Hello, introduce yourself please.

My name is Maria Clara Martins de Souza, I am 17 years old, I was born on January 21, 2008.
I am Brazilian, I live in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.

What languages do you speak?

Portuguese and English.

At what age did you start playing tennis?

I started playing tennis at 8 and a half years old.

Are there other tennis players in your family?

Yes, my mother plays recreational tennis.

In which club do you train?

I train at CFTRP – Centro de Formação e Treinamento de Tênis de Ribeirão Preto (Ribeirão Preto Tennis Training Center).

Who are your coaches?

• Haroldo Zwetsch
• Clayton Nogueira
• Gesner Menegucci

What is your weekly training routine?

I train every day, Monday to Friday, in the morning from 8 am to 9 am physical training, from 9 am to 11 am court work, in the afternoon from 2 pm to 3:30 pm physical training and from 3:30 pm to 5 pm court work. And when necessary, I train on Saturday mornings.

As an athlete, what is your greatest quality and what do you need to improve?

My greatest strength is discipline and commitment to training and tournaments. What I need to improve is my personal marketing.

What is your junior category and your national ranking?

My category is 18-year-old female, and my national ranking is 130th, because this year I was injured and lost many points.

What has been your greatest achievement?

My greatest achievements in tennis were when I won two stages of the Brazilian national circuit, where I was doubles champion in São Bernardo at 16 years old, and the other was when I was runner-up in the São Paulo Cup at 14 years old. And the most recent was when I was runner-up in the Brazilian championship in the 16F category in singles in Mato Grosso do Sul.

In which countries have you already played tournament?

I have only competed in tournaments in Brazil. But next year, 2026, it is part of my plan to play in other South American countries.

Do you have any sponsors?

No, no sponsors. But I have some support in racket stringing and with HandDry.

What is your goal for 2026?

To play tournaments in other countries, earn ITF points, play in professional ITF tournaments, qualifying rounds and main draws, and seek sponsors to help me on my journey.

What is your tennis dream?

To be a professional tennis player and win all 4 Grand Slams.

Who are your favorite tennis players?

Women:

• Maria Sharapova
• Aryna Sabalenka
• Bia Haddad Maia
• Elena Rybakina
• Luiza Fullana

Men:

• Roger Federer
• Rafael Nadal
• Jannik Sinner
• Daniel Medvedev
• Jack Draper

What do you like to do outside of tennis?

I really enjoy painting and drawing, watching movies, hanging out with my friends, visiting different places, going to cafes, going to the beach, and doing ceramics (working with clay).

To which people would you like to dedicate this interview?

To my parents, and my aunts Valéria and Vilma.

Thanks a lot Maria!
Tennis Papers wishes you the best in your tennis life 💜🩷