World number two Ons Jabeur from Tunisia emphasized the close friendship with Tatjana Maria before the semi-final duel in Wimbledon.
“I love Tatjana so much, her family is great. She is my barbecue friend,” said number three seeded Jabeur after her 3: 6, 6: 1, 6: 1 against Czech Marie Bouzkova. “She will be difficult to play against. She is a good friend. I am very happy that she is in the semi-finals.”
She wished others would look up to Maria. “She’s a semi-finalist and has two children. It’s an incredible story,” said 27-year-old Jabeur.
Maria, seven years her senior, had previously won the German quarterfinals against Jule Niemeier 4: 6, 6: 2, 7: 5 and, like Jabeur, won the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career. “She is part of my family, she loves my children,” enthused Maria before the game on Thursday and reported on Jabeur’s intimate relationship with her two daughters: “She always plays tennis with Charlotte, she loves Ceci.”