Before the tournament, hardly anyone had expected Tatjana Maria in the semifinals of Wimbledon. The 34-year-old returned to the professional tour less than a year ago following the birth of her second daughter – and is now better than ever.
Tatjana Maria is only two wins away from the sensational title in Wimbledon. After the quarter-final victory in the German duel with Jule Niemeier, the 34-year-old now meets the world number two Ons Jabeur from Tunisia in the grass classic on Thursday. The story of the mother of two Maria fascinates the tennis world.
Tatjana Marina is on the professional tour with her family
Family: Maria is a traveling family company on the professional tour. Her husband Charles-Edouard coaches her and designs her match plans. At Wimbledon, the first tennis lessons belong to her older daughter Charlotte – the eight-year-old usually practices at 8.30 a.m. and becomes the “next champion”, as her mother proudly says. Maria associates a lot with Wimbledon. When she was pregnant with Charlotte, she played in the first round at Church Road. In the first year following birth, she reached round three – her best result until 2022. Cecilia was born 15 months ago and Maria is better than ever.
Tatjana Maria has never been as good as she is at Wimbledon. At the age of 34, the mother of two achieves the greatest success of her career. She convinces on the “sacred lawn” as a slice monster, human and mother.
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From Bad Saulgau to Florida
Place of residence: The athlete, who was born in Bad Saulgau, lives with her family in Palm Beach Gardens on the east coast of Florida in the USA. Nearby famous tennis neighbors: She maintains contact with the Williams sisters Venus and Serena, and also talks to Serena regarding motherhood. When the Maria family is away, daughter Charlotte takes digital lessons at the Florida Virtual School. Holidays until August 1st. “The teachers are super nice, call, do tests,” reported Mama Maria, who loves to talk regarding her dual role: “The most important thing in my life is to be a mother of two children. Nothing will change that.”
Maria annoys opponents with an unorthodox style of play
Playing style: Maria unnerves her opponents with her unorthodox playing style that seems almost out of date. She also plays a lot of balls with backspin on the forehand, is extremely strong in stride and fought her way back into the games at Wimbledon, even when she was behind. “There will be a lot of slice balls in this match,” predicted her opponent Jabeur, also a family friend, also for the upcoming semifinals. “You have to adjust to that.”
Maria survived pulmonary embolism
Blows of fate: It is by no means a matter of course that Tatjana Maria still plays tennis today. 14 years ago she was diagnosed with a thrombosis in her leg. Maria was in mortal danger because cardiac arrest was imminent following a pulmonary embolism. Operations followed. Her father, who had accompanied her to tournaments, died a little later. “A few things happened to me that automatically make you stronger,” she said at Wimbledon.
Tatjana Maria dared something that is unthinkable for many athletes: to be a mother and a competitive athlete. In the SWR interview, she talks regarding the challenges involved and the way back into the tennis scene following the birth of her first child.
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National coach Rittner regarding Maria: “A very happy, uncomplicated person”
Personality: Maria is deeply relaxed and always in a good mood. The word “uncomplicated” best describes the 34-year-old, says Barbara Rittner. “You can feel that she is completely at peace, has arrived and is a very satisfied person,” said the women’s national coach of the German Press Agency regarding Maria. Rittner remembers numerous Fed Cup appearances by the generation around Angelique Kerber, Julia Görges, Sabine Lisicki and Maria, who was called Malek before her marriage. “She was always the most balanced, the most uncomplicated, with the lowest demands. She just does the mood good.”
