The German Maria arrived for the first time in the semifinals of a Grand Slam. Photo by AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth
In a Wimbledon full of surprises and unexpected protagoniststhe great revelation of the women’s team is the German Tatjana Mariathat at 34 and from 103rd step of the world rankings, on Tuesday she reached the semifinals of the English Grand Slam – the first for her in this category – beating your compatriot 4-6, 6-2 and 7-5 Jules Niemeier, 12 years younger and 97th in the world. Her performance on the London field has already made it into the tournament statistics, as she has become the fourth player outside the top 100 to reach that instance in the last 38 years, after the Croatian. Mirjana Lucic in 1999, the Chinese Jie Zheng in 2008 and the American Serena Williams in 2018. But the German also lacks two victories to make great history and become the second mother to raise the trophy in the All of England.
If he wins the title, he will succeed Evonne Goolagong as the second woman to be crowned in the British major after giving birth. The Australian joined him in the 1980 edition, when she defeated Chris Evert. Likewise, Maria is already the first to join the group of the best four, having been a mother twice.
“Some people like to do bungee jumping. I love going back to tennis after having kids, I guess, “she said with a laugh a few days ago in an interview with the WTA.
The Maria family in Wimbledon: Tatjana, her husband and coach Charles Edouard, and their daughters, Charlotte and Cecilia. Instagram photo @ tatjanamaria87
Maria shares life on the circuit with her family. Professional since 2006, she is married to her coach, Carlo Edoardo Mariaand together they travel from tournament to tournament with their daughters, Carlotta8 years and Ceciliathose.
“I love being a mother. It’s the best thing in the world. It’s my priority. And it doesn’t bother me that they always ask me. I love my two daughters and being able to do it together. They all support me and that makes each of them very special. . ” the results I’m getting “the German said.
And followed: “My husband is the person who knows me best and that’s why he is the perfect coach for me. He has absolute confidence in me. My career and his career are the same career, it’s like it’s a family business . We do everything we can to keep the family together, this is the most important thing for us. “
The one born in Bad Saulgau is a perfect example of the fact that motherhood doesn’t always mean the end of a career in high performance sport. Furthermore, the arrival of their first daughter in December 2013 proved to be a double blessing.
After having her second daughter, Maria came back with a different backhand, with a slice and a hand. Photo by AP / Kirsty Wigglesworth
During that first leave, she continued to work on her tennis and when she returned to the court, just four months after giving birth, she surprised by showing a different backhand: He went from beating him with two hands to executing him with just one. And more competitive than ever, she reached her best historical ranking in November 2017 (46th step) and won her first singles title on the pitch in Mallorca in June 2018.
“I had a two handed backhand, but I didn’t play it much. I had slice in my arsenal, footwork too to do a one handed backhand, so I changed it. It wasn’t easy, but now I feel like I did.” I would have struck like this for my whole life “told some time ago about that change in his style of play.
In April 2021, Maria and her husband welcomed their second daughter. And just three months later, the German was again in competition. Although she acknowledged that since she took that second more “relaxed” pregnancy, her return cost her a little more. Yet just a year after giving birth, last April, he won his second tournament as a pro, in Bogotá.
“I am proud of myself. When you start the journey back to tennis after having a child, you never know for sure how things will go. In cases there were people who doubted, who did not believe they could return. Me. proved them wrong. After having Charlotte I entered the top 50, now I am in the semifinals of Wimbledon. I am a fighter and I am still dreaming and I want to show it to my daughters. “ reflected, which also has four doubles titles, three already won by her mother.
On the Wimbledon lawn, the German made his debut with a victory over the Australian astra sharma (136th in the standings) and then scored three wins against the Romanian seed Sorana Cirstea (26 °), the Greek Maria Sakkar (5th) and the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (12th), before beating Niemeier to move on to the semifinals and sign his best historical performance in a Grand Slam.
Until this race, Maria – who will now face the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (3rd favorite) or the Czech Maria Bouzkova– had never made it past the third round of a “big”, his peak in this event in 2015.
“I have goosebumps all over. I’m not down yet. It’s a dream to live it with my family and my two little girls. A little over a year ago I gave birth. And although I always believed I was able to reach it. , the truth is this is crazy “she commented excitedly after securing a place in the Wimbledon semi-finals and only two wins from writing her name in the great tournament history.
Only three women in the Open era have won at least one Grand Slam title as a mother. The first was the Australian Margherita Corte, champion of 24 ‘big’ and who won the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open in 1973 after giving birth. She was followed by Goolagong, who won the 1980 edition of Wimbledon, and by the Belgian Kim Clijsterswho was a mother in 2008 and then became champion in New York in 2009 and 2010 and in Australia in 2011. Will Maria add her name to that list?
Source: Clarin
