Qualifier Maria completes fairytale run to Queen's title
The 37-year-old's victory secured the fourth singles title of her career and her first since 2023 on clay in Bogota.
World number 86 Maria is the first German to win a WTA 500 title since Angelique Kerber in 2018 in Sydney.
In the first women's tournament at Queen's since 1973, Maria is the event's first female champion since Russia's Olga Morozova 52 years ago.
When Morozova won in west London, the prize money was just £1,000 ($1,353).
Maria banked a cheque for £120,000 and more importantly earned a huge confidence boost ahead of Wimbledon, which starts on June 30.
The mother of two arrived at Queen's on a nine-match losing streak and had to survive two rounds of qualifying matches to reach the main draw.
Deploying her slice-heavy style to devastating effect, she stunned sixth seed Karolina Muchova, fourth seed Elena Rybakina and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys en route to the final.
Maria, who has taken two maternity breaks from the WTA Tour, has never been past the second round of any Grand Slam except Wimbledon, where she reached the semi-finals in 2022.
But once again she proved a formidable force on grass, brushing aside Anisimova to secure her second title on the surface as her husband and young daughters Charlotte and Cecilia watched from courtside.
Anisimova has struggled to live up to her early success after reaching the French Open semi-finals aged 17 in 2019.
She took an eight-month break from tennis and dropped out of the top 400 after suffering with depression bought on by the scrutiny and expectations that came with being a teen prodigy.
The 23-year-old returned last year and won the Qatar Open this February, reaching a career-high 15th in the rankings before underlining her renaissance by defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen to reach her first grass-court final.
However, Maria was too savvy on grass for Anisimova and the German landed the first blow with a break in the fourth game.
Anisimova hit back with a break of her own in the seventh, but Maria's dogged refusal to give up on a single rally eventually wore down the American.
She broke again for a 5-3 lead and closed out the first set with a series of perfectly placed serves.
Maria hit just three winners in the opening set but Anisimova's 10 unforced errors proved fatal.
It was the same story in the second set as Maria steadily worked the ball around the court, waiting for Anisimova to shoot herself in the foot.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
9 hours ago
- France 24
McIlroy seeks Portrush reboot after US Open flop
Second-ranked McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in April, struggled at last month's PGA Championship and ended on seven-over par 287 at Oakmont after a final-round 67 on Sunday. "It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today," he said. "I'll just be looking forward to and trying to get myself prepared for Portrush." The 36-year-old will play next week's PGA Travelers Championship and the Scottish Open before trying to win a major title at Portrush. "It will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people that I still haven't seen yet. I'm really looking forward to it," McIlroy said. "Hopefully I can celebrate with them on Sunday night with the Claret Jug and the green jacket." McIlroy has struggled with his game in the aftermath of completing his 11-year quest for the career slam by capturing a Masters green jacket, the impact of the feat taking a toll. "I climbed my Everest in April and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb," McIlroy said. "An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those." Motivation won't be lacking. "If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me," McIlroy said. "I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been there the last few weeks. "Getting home and having a couple weeks off before that, hopefully feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, will get me in the right place again." McIlroy and his family have a new home in London to enjoy as well. "I'm looking forward to just getting back to Europe in general," McIlroy said. "It will be my first time sort of in public back home after winning the Masters. It should be a really nice week." McIlroy played in the 2019 Open at Portrush, when Irish pal Shane Lowry lifted the Claret Jug and McIlroy missed the cut. Emotional at Portrush He must cope with surprising feelings that struck back then. "I didn't realize how emotional I was going to be at Portrush. I think that was a thing I was unprepared for more than anything else," McIlroy said, recalling a crowd roar when he hit a good shot. "I felt like I was about to burst into tears -- just that support and that love from your own people. So I was unprepared for that. I need to just get myself in the right frame of mind to feel those feelings again." McIlroy had struggled with driver issues since his driver was found out of compliance with golf rules in testing before the PGA Championship, where he shared 47th. But his driver work looked solid at tricky Oakmont. "I've driven the ball well all week," McIlroy said. "After the way I drove it today, I'd say I finished in the top five in strokes gained off the tee. Really encouraged with the driver. "Physically I feel like my game is there. It's just mentally getting myself in the right frame of mind to get the best out of myself."
France 24
11 hours ago
- France 24
Merciless Bayern hit 10 against amateurs Auckland City at Club World Cup
Kingsley Coman, Michael Olise and Thomas Mueller all netted twice, while Sacha Boey was also on target for the German champions in the game in Group C, which also features Boca Juniors and Benfica. Harry Kane started but didn't find the target before being replaced just after the hour mark by Musiala, who netted his three goals in the space of 18 minutes towards the end. It was a stroll in the park in the midday sun in Cincinnati for Vincent Kompany's side, with France winger Coman scoring twice in the opening 21 minutes either side of goals by compatriots Boey and Olise. Coman's sixth-minute breakthrough goal was the first of the tournament following the 0-0 draw between Inter Miami and Al Ahly in Saturday's opening game. Mueller got the fifth and Olise's second of the afternoon made it 6-0 in first-half stoppage time for the Bundesliga heavyweights. Auckland City managed to stem the tide for much of the second half before Musiala came on and took centre stage, his three goals including one from the penalty spot. Mueller made it 10-0 in the 89th minute for a Bayern side who won the Club World Cup twice in its former seven-team guise, in 2013 and 2020. They have recorded bigger victories in the past in the German Cup, but the 10-goal winning margin equals their best ever win in the Bundesliga, when they beat Borussia Dortmund 11-1 in 1971. Bayern, who gave new signing Jonathan Tah a debut in central defence following his recent arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, play Boca in their next match in Miami on Friday.
France 24
12 hours ago
- France 24
French Open champ Alcaraz ready for Queen's after Ibiza party
Alcaraz saved three match points and rallied from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in a fifth set tie-break in the sensational Roland Garros final on June 8. Having triumphed in one of the greatest finals in tennis history, the 22-year-old jetted off to Ibiza to soak up his second successive French Open crown. As well as partying with friends, Alcaraz used the break as a welcome opportunity to recharge his batteries after a gruelling clay-court campaign that also included titles in Monte Carlo and Rome. "It was fun, but honestly, I was there more mentally than physically. I had fun, just three nights, three days, and I think that was more than enough," he told reporters at Queen's on Sunday. "The craziest thing was probably staying out really late. I danced a bit, but nothing more than what a normal person would do. I'm getting older, my body doesn't keep up anymore!" Refreshed by his break, Alcaraz practised at Queen's Club on Saturday evening as he stepped up his preparations to defend the Wimbledon title. The Spaniard is confident his Ibiza holiday won't leave him rusty in west London. "It's kind of the middle of the season. After the clay season, which is very intense, I think it's the perfect time to get away," he said. "My friends go every year, so I go too. It doesn't matter where. The point is to switch off mentally, recharge physically and come back ready for the grass season. "After such a great but intense few weeks, having time to disconnect and have fun is really important for me." 'Can't believe it' Alcaraz, who has won Wimbledon for the last two years, is the third-youngest man to claim five Grand Slam titles, trailing only Rafael Nadal and Bjorn Borg. He is also only the third man in the Open era to save at least one championship point before winning a Grand Slam final. Alcaraz said his memorable achievements in Paris were still sinking in as he prepares to open his grass-court campaign against compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Queen's first round. The 22-year-old, who won Queen's in 2023, said: "I still look at the phone and the media. I have seen a lot of videos from that match, that moment from match point down. "I still watch it sometimes and can't believe I came back from that moment. Sometimes it's difficult to realise that I am in this position, that I won Roland Garros. I still watch the videos and am still in shock sometimes." Alcaraz cannot pick a favourite between his maiden French Open victory last year and the victory against Sinner, adding: "The first one is always there. It's going to be always in your heart.
