Wimbledon – Mother of two and happy, Tatjana Maria aims for a first half in Grand Slam against Niemeier

There is no age to achieve your dreams. At 34, soon to be 35 on August 8, Tatjana Maria will play a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time in her career. A special event, a special opponent: his compatriot Jule Niemeier, 22 years old and great hope of German tennis, in full revival among girls in terms of density after the solo rider of Angelique Kerber in recent years.

For Tatjana Maria, born Tatjana Malek, before taking her husband’s name in 2013, life on the circuit has not been easy, she who has mainly spent her time beyond the Top 50 at the WTA. His record on the secondary circuit is eloquent: 18 titles in singles (19 in doubles). Ranked at the best of her career in 46th place, in November 2017, the right-hander did everything late in her professional career, which began in the heart of the 2000s.

As proof, she won her first title on the WTA circuit at the age of 30. It was already on the grass, in Mallorca, on June 24, 2018. Since then, she had only added another title to her list. It was in Bogota, on clay, in… last April. A harbinger that things were back in order for the 103rd player in the world. The German returned to competition in July 2021 in WTA 125 and ITF tournaments in the United States, after her second pregnancy.

The family circuit

Tatjana Maria is a mother of two children. Charlotte was born in 2013 when Maria was 26 years old. Cécilia, 14 months, was born in April 2021. Two baby breaks are a rarity for a tennis player, but it has changed the way of seeing things for the champion, now devoted to her family first, then to her work as a professional player. Married to former French player Charles-Edouard Maria (ranked best at 398th place ATP in 2001), who is also her coach, the German travels around the world with her family. And not otherwise.

Inevitably, the subject of motherhood came up very often over this Wimbledon. For Maria, it’s not too intimate or redundant a subject: she likes to talk about it and explain how she found the balance. This is done with her loved ones around her when she wanders from tournament to tournament. “I enjoy playing more because I know there are much more important things in life than playing a match of tennis. For me it’s something great. I realized my dreams“, she underlined after qualifying for the quarter-finals.

“My family and my two children are the two most important things. When I’m not on the court, I take care of my two little ones and everything is normal. Playing tennis does not change the life next door. I am a mother, I love being a mother. I love my two little ones. It’s the best thing in the world to be a mother.”

Tennis is contagious. Charlotte, the eldest, has already started kicking the ball and she really likes it. Her dad has already started taking care of her. He is the other reason for the comeback of the native of Bad Saulgau. “He does a great job too. And without him, nothing would be possible“, Maria told the ITF earlier this year.

Wimbledon, a special tournament for her

Tatjana Maria’s Grand Slam journeys were not crowned with success. Far from it. At the Australian Open, she won only 2 games in nine appearances. Same record at Roland-Garros: 2 successes in eight appearances. It’s barely better at the US Open: 3 wins in eight major draws. But at Wimbledon, it’s a little different: she had won 5 matches in nine appearances and obtained her best result in a Major in the 2015 edition. But that is a thing of the past: 2022 has passed by.

If there was a tournament where she was finally going to make her way, it was on the lawn of the All England Club. His game, rather defensive, based on slices, is perfectly adapted to the surface. Our consultant Barbara Schett had underlined it after the qualification of Maria in quarter after a big fight Jelena Ostapenka (5-7, 7-5, 7-5).

“She pulled off an incredible match against Jelena Ostapenko. She managed to save two match points (at 4-5, in the 2nd set, editor’s note). It shows that she is mentally strong and how effective her game is. She slices well in forehand and backhand, she goes to the net“, analyzed the former player to Eurosport.

A peculiarity helped Maria on a technical level: going from a two-handed backhand to a one-handed one. She had decided to opt for this change, almost unique within the WTA circuit, in the heart of her career during her first pregnancy break nine years ago. Recently, she decided to increase her percentage of sliced ​​shots, even to the point of abusing it a little too much. “The slice is my main weapon on grass“, she hammered after eliminating Maria Sakkari, current 5th in the world, in the 3rd round.

This atypical game allows him to cover the court perfectly. Even more surprising: if the opportunity arises, she goes to the net to finish the exchanges, a tactic at odds with her basic game. Her main strength in London this year is that she gives few points. She only committed 63 unforced errors in four games (18 in the 1st and 2nd round, 12 in the 3rd round and 15 in the 8th). An impressive balance sheet. Tatjana Maria is therefore a fulfilled mother, a finally fulfilled player, but above all a real wall. A wall that wants to conquer Wimbledon.