One slice at a time, Tatjana Maria wins Queen’s Club

The last time a women’s tournament was played at Queen’s Club was more than half a century ago, in 1973. Wooden racquets were the tools of the trade, shaping a more nuanced game than the one we see today.

Tatjana Maria, born in the summer of 1987 when the last of those wooden racquets were being wielded, would have thrived in that old-timey environment. On Sunday at Queen’s Club in London, she channeled those vibes in a back-to-the-future kind of way, defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-4 to win the HSBC Championships.

In the course of five days, the crafty German methodically dismantled four more powerful Top 15 players -- No. 6 seed Karolina Muchova, No. 4 Elena Rybakina, No. 2 Madison Keys and, finally, No. 8 Anisimova. 

Two months shy of her 38th birthday, Maria is the oldest player to win a WTA 500 event. 

“I’m 37 years old, and I won this trophy today,” Maria told reporters. “In the past, people were always saying, ‘Oh, now maybe it’s time. You are too old.’

“But actually, I’m a good example that even in my age you still can win big trophies. I’m super proud of myself that I could win this tournament, because actually, I believed always in it, and my husband [and coach Charles-Edouard] too. That’s why we kept going.”

This was the most prestigious of her four career titles; half of them have come on grass, the perfect canvas for her subtle game. Her game truly comes alive on that living, breathing surface.

Maria, who had to qualify her way into the main draw, served impeccably and used the entire court, continually drawing in her opponents with slices, placing them in awkward, exceedingly uncomfortable positions. 

In the decisive fifth game of Sunday’s second set, after playing some stout defense in the corners, Maria returned a drop shot -- a half-volley inside the service box that Anisimova couldn’t handle.  Earlier, Maria hit a running one-handed backhand with so much topspin that Anisimova couldn’t control the volley.

“She definitely slices more than the average player,” Anisimova said. “Just not something you’re used to. I mean, it’s definitely different, but everyone has their own way of playing.”

Afterward, Maria chatted with wtatennis.com about her unlikely title:

You defeated Grand Slam champions back-to-back and four Top 15 players in a row, how do you process that just an hour later?

Last Saturday, I started in the qualifying, and I went from round to round. To hold this trophy now, on this Sunday -- I even can’t realize it yet. I need a few hours to let it sink in.

What is it about grass that so perfectly complements your game?

I think grass is perfect for my slice. I am serving well, I can play a lot of slice, I can go to the net. I can play exactly how I would like to play and the surface takes every single thing from it. So it’s a perfect fit for my game.

You play a game from a different time -- how do you think you would have done with a wooden racquet and more tournaments played on grass?

[Laughing] I wish there would be more tournaments nowadays played on grass. I don’t know how I would do in the past because in the past they were playing more like me. Nowadays, you have only me who is playing like me. So it actually helps me, too, that nobody plays my style and everybody has to get used to playing against me. I think it’s also an advantage for me that I play like I play -- and I’m the only one.

You’re scheduled to play Nottingham this week with a first-round match against Petra Kvitova. Will you play the following week in Bad Homburg?

Yes. I got a wild card for Bad Homburg. The grass court season is not long, and I would like to play as much as I can. I want to be fresh for Wimbledon body-wise. But as long as I feel good, I will keep going.

In her on-court interview, Anisimova said she could see you reaching the Wimbledon final in several weeks’ time. You made the semifinals three years ago …. Can you see that?

I mean, it’s a long way to be in the final of a Grand Slam. I’m not seeded, it depends a little bit on the draw. But of course my game on grass, nobody wants to play me, which is an advantage. I will try to be as best prepared as I can. I hope I can go far.

How does it feel to share this with your daughter Charlotte, who at 11 is old enough to understand what’s happening?

I think there’s no better way for her to live all these moments because it’s her dream also to be on tour and to become the next champion. It’s really, really special for me to live this with my own daughter.

Do you really think you’ll be able to play doubles with her in a future WTA event?

My goal is really to do it. I hope my body will hold up a few more years so I can play doubles with Charlotte. She’ll turn 12 at the end of the year, and you can start to play on tour when you’re 14. So I have a few more years to go. To be honest, I feel great on the court. I feel great body-wise. And I always say, as long as I feel good and I don’t have pain and I can keep going.

After the match, when you were celebrating with your family, you and your husband looked into the pram. Was four-year-old Cecilia asleep?

Yeah, I think she was sleeping. And then she woke up because everybody was screaming around her. She was like, ‘Oh, my God, what’s going on?’ It’s actually funny because at the beginning of the week we were sitting on a sofa [at Queen’s Club], and Cece was looking at the pictures of the big trophies. And I was telling her, `Oh, you see how big are the trophies.’ And she said, `Yeah, you have to take this trophy.’ And I said, `OK, I will try to win it.’ And it’s funny that I won it.