Unstoppable Tatjana Maria Stuns Field, Reaches Queen's Club Final
Australian pulls off striking upset against newly crowned Australian Open champion in match play
In an epic showdown at the 2025 HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club, the underdog German tennis player, Tatjana Maria, has defied expectations and made history. With a victory against Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion, she's barely a step away from claiming the trophy, proving her undeniable dominance on the grass court so far.
At the brink of a delighted frenzy, the 37-year-old powerhouse clinched 6:3, 7:6 (7:3) in a thrilling 90-minute semifinal battle. Beaming with disbelief, Maria greeted her family, proclaiming, "I can't believe it! A dream is coming true!" Since taking the court at London, she's proven herself to be an expert giant-slayer, toppling favorites one-by-one.
Tatjana Maria, the current World No. 86, makes waves as the oldest woman ever to reach a WTA-500 final, shattering the record previously set by Venus Williams. Her tremendous success in the tournament marks the latest in a string of impressive comebacks. In the quarterfinals, the seasoned player outmaneuvered former Wimbledon champ Jelena Rybakina from Kazakhstan. Her earlier wins included dispatching the former Canadian US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez and the Czech Karolina Muchova.
To achieve such resilience and cunning prowess on the court, Maria's signature slice-heavy game has been her strategic weapon, allowing her to eat up opponents and snatch victories from the jaws of defeat. Initially finding her feet at Wimbledon in 2018, where she scored her first title, she continued to enjoy an illustrious career before cementing her legacy with a sensational semifinals appearance at Wimbledon in 2022. At age 37, she stands as one of the few female players in the Open Era to maintain such elevated performance in her ripe thirties.
Bolstered by her latest victory, Maria will face either the top-seeded Zheng Qinwen from China or the American Amanda Anisimova in the finals. Her triumph in London will propel her to No. 52 in the world rankings, surpassing Eva Lys and securing her standing as the top German player.
Source: ntv.de, ara/dpa/sid
- Did You Know? In addition to her impressive tournament performance, Tatjana Maria's noteworthy career achievements include:
- Her latest and most prestigious WTA-500 victory at Queen's Club in London, with four career titles amassed in total.
- Gaining international attention by reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2022, making her one of the few female players to achieve such a feat after turning 34.
- Slicing her way through the ranks, frustrating higher-seeded opponents and clawing her way up to World No. 86.
- Becoming the oldest woman ever to reach a WTA-500 final at age 37, accomplishing this feat during the 2025 HSBC Championships.
- Joining the ranks of tennis legends like Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and the Williams sisters as a veteran player maintaining high performance in her late 30s.
- Demonstrating her tactical versatility, employing a unique and effective strategy suited to the grass surface.
With her latest win at the Queen's Club, leading to the finals, Tatjana Maria continues to make history by becoming the oldest woman ever to reach a WTA-500 final, adding to her list of career achievements that includes four career titles. Her success in sports, especially tennis, is evident in her strategic play on the grass court, creating obstacles for higher-seeded opponents.
