Maria delivers Queens masterclass to oust Keys and march into final
LONDON :German veteran Tatjana Maria defied the odds to move into the biggest final of her career when she stunned second seed and Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-3 7-6(3) at the Queen's Club Championships on Saturday.
The unseeded Maria came into the tournament carrying the burden of nine straight losses with many wondering if the 37-year-old mother of two was a spent force.
But she put those doubts to bed on the lush green surface at the Andy Murray Arena, where she has now knocked out two Grand Slam champions in back-to-back matches.
Having upset former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals, Maria will now play either top seed Zheng Qinwen or Amanda Anisimova in the final.
"Oh my god, to be honest, I cannot believe it. It's a dream come true. It's amazing to play here in front of you all, it's such a special place. I could not wish a better tournament to be in the final and I'm so, so proud," a smiling Maria said.
"You never can stop, doesn't matter how it goes. I think I'm a really good example for this. I had my ups and downs, but you always have to keep going.
"I love to play tennis. I love this sport and we live for these special moments. That's why it's amazing... To be here with my family, my team. It makes it so special that they are here and watching me. We live this dream together."
Keys unleashed raw power, hammering 41 winners to Maria's modest 11. But the German countered with crafty low slices that skidded treacherously off the grass, forcing the American second seed into 37 unforced errors while committing just six herself.
The only time Maria really struggled was when Keys approached the net, where the American won several points, especially on serve.
However, that ultimately proved to be Keys's undoing on match point when she sprinted up to the net, only for Maria to loft a perfectly weighted lob into an empty court to move into just her second grasscourt final of her career.
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Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 15, 2025 Germany's Tatjana Maria reacts during the final match against Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge REUTERS Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 15, 2025 Germany's Tatjana Maria celebrates with her husband Charles-Edouard Maria and daughters Charlotte and Cecilia after winning the final against Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge REUTERS Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 15, 2025 Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. during the final match against Germany's Tatjana Maria Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge REUTERS Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 15, 2025 Germany's Tatjana Maria celebrates with her husband Charles-Edouard Maria and daughters Charlotte and Cecilia after winning the final against Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge REUTERS Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 15, 2025 Germany's Tatjana Maria lifts the trophy as she celebrates with her husband Charles-Edouard Maria and daughters Charlotte and Cecilia after winning the final against Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge REUTERS German qualifier Tatjana Maria capped an incredible week in London as she defeated American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3 6-4 on Sunday to become the first woman to win a title at Queen's Club in over half a century. The victory marked the end of an extraordinary nine-day stretch for the mother-of-two, ranked 86 in the world, having stunned second seed and Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the previous round. The 37-year-old becomes the oldest player to claim a WTA title since Serena Williams in Auckland 2020. She dropped only one set en route to the title and her dream run also included victories over Kazakh fourth seed Elena Rybakina and Czech sixth seed Karolina Muchova. Maria dominated Anismova with big serves and earned an early break in the first set. She won 12 points in a row as she raced to a 4-1 lead and then held off a brief Anisimova fightback to close out the set. Maria carried her momentum into the second as she again surged into a 4-1 lead. Her seventh ace of the match helped her move up 5-3, and she served out the match two games later to clinch her first title in over two years. "A dream come true. (When) I came here, I was never thinking I could hold the trophy at the end. When we arrived my little girl said 'wow that's a nice trophy, so big' and I said 'OK let's go for it I will try to win it'," Maria said. "In the end I've won it, it's incredible. So happy. Everything is possible if you believe in it. You go your way, doesn't matter which it is but you have to keep going. I want to show this to my kids and hopefully they are proud. It's amazing." Maria threw her arms up as she watched Anisimova's forehand sail wide on match point, before both players shared an affectionate embrace at the net. "I wouldn't be surprised if we see you in the Wimbledon final because you really had me running out there today," Anisimova said. Having started the week as world number 86, Maria is projected to move up to world number 43 when the new rankings are released on Monday. The Wimbledon warm-up event at Queen's welcomed back female competitors for the first time since 1973, when the Soviet Union's Olga Morozova won the title. Wimbledon runs from June 30 to July 13. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
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