Wimbledon: Tatjana Maria beats Jelena Ostapenko & Ons Jabeur through
- Published
Tatjana Maria made her Wimbledon debut in 2007
Wimbledon 2022 on the BBC |
|---|
Venue: All England Club Dates: 27 June-10 July |
Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. |
Germany's Tatjana Maria said she "did everything to live her dreams" as the 34-year-old stunned 12th seed Jelena Ostapenko to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Maria returned to the sport last July following her second maternity break to become the first mother-of-two to reach this stage at Wimbledon.
The world number 103 saved match points as she came back to beat the 2017 French Open champion 5-7 7-5 7-5.
"I can appreciate it more," she said.
"For me it's super great. I did everything out there to live my dreams at the end. But I know also there are more important things outside," Maria added.
"For me, it doesn't change anything on my outside. I'm a mom. I love to be a mom. I love my two kids."
Meanwhile, Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur remains the highest-ranked player left in the women's singles after a dogged win over Belgian 24th seed Elise Mertens.
Jabeur, 27, has not a dropped a set at the All England Club this year after a 7-6 (11-9) 6-4 victory, where she saved five set points in the tie-break.
The world number two will next face 23-year-old Czech Marie Bouzkova, who closed out victory over France's Caroline Garcia by winning the final five games to progress 7-5 6-2.
The world number 66 joins German players Maria and Jule Niemeier in contesting her first major quarter-final.
Wimbledon 2022: Watch Marie Bouzkova produces an outrageous bending backhand in day seven.
Maria, the oldest player remaining in the women's draw, practised with the elder of her two daughters prior to the match.
Her first Grand Slam singles quarter-final was sealed with her second match point, as she served for the win for a second time.
Maria, who took a maternity break from tennis in 2021, will face compatriot Niemeier next after the 22-year-old world number 97 defeated Britain's Heather Watson 6-2 6-4 on Centre Court.
"There's always the belief that I can do it. I mean, that's why I came back after the first one. It's why I came back after the second one," Maria said.
Wimbledon: Watch the 'wonderful' first set of Ons Jabeur against Elise Mertens
"If I don't believe I can do these things, then I would not be here. So there's always this believing [to] keep going and improving and trying my best.
"I'm now in the quarter-final of Wimbledon, so it's really amazing for me. This means also that you always have to keep going.
"It doesn't matter how old you are, it doesn't matter how many kids you have, you just have to keep going and to believe in yourself."
Latvia's Ostapenko threw her water bottle down in frustration following defeat, knocking over her chair with some spectators booing on Court One.