Tennis: Maria and Niemeier lose in opening match
### Hamburg Tennis Tournament: Tomova Sweeps Maria in WTA-250 Tournament
In the recent WTA-250 tournament held at the Rothenbaum, there were a few notable upsets among the German contingent. Among them was the elimination of Tatjana Maria and Jule Niemeier in the first round.
Tatjana Maria, the 37-year-old German player, faced off against Viktorija Tomova, the number two seed in the tournament. Despite a promising start, with Maria leading 5:3 in the second set, Tomova managed to turn the tide, winning the set in a tiebreak and ultimately the match with a score of 3:6, 6:7 (5:7). This was Maria's latest loss in a tennis tournament and her fourth loss in four meetings with Tomova.
Tomova, who previously defeated Maria in Seoul in 2024, converted the second match point to secure her victory. The match lasted for 1 hour and 45 minutes, providing an intense battle between the two players.
Meanwhile, Jule Niemeier also faced a tough challenge against Dajana Jastremska. The score of the match was 4:6, 3:6 in favor of Jastremska. This was Niemeier's first loss in the tournament.
On a positive note, Jekaterina Alexandrova, the current German number 1, secured a comfortable win against Eva Vedder, a Dutch qualifier, with a score of 6:0, 6:3. Alexandrova, as the number one seed, advanced to the next round.
In the head-to-head comparison between Maria and Tomova, Tomova holds a perfect record, winning all three matches they have played. The upcoming match between the two is scheduled for the European Open, marking their fourth encounter, with their head-to-head yet to include a match on clay.
[1] [Tatjana Maria](https://www.wtatennis.com/player/tatjana-maria)
[2] [Viktoriya Tomova](https://www.wtatennis.com/player/viktoriya-tomova)
[3] [Bad Saulgau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Saulgau)
In the head-to-head comparison between Tomova and Maria, Tomova has won all three of their encounters, including their match at the Hamburg Tennis Tournament where Tomova emerged victorious despite Maria leading 5:3 in the second set. Tomova's next match against Maria is scheduled for the European Open, a tournament on clay that promises to be an interesting addition to their head-to-head record.
