As a mother of two, Tatjana Maria (34) is in the round of 16 of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at the Wimbledon tournament. She uses her sport’s greatest stage not only for athletic success, but also to drive change for moms on tour.
On Saturday afternoon, the Maria family had long been back to normal. The parents had given the two daughters, Charlotte (8) and Cecilia (1), to childcare in Aorangipark before the training session. A few minutes later Tatjana Maria was already working on her special shot, her backhand undercut with a lot of backward twist.Slice. Her Coach and husband Charles From time to time Maria corrected technical details in French.
The attention of most of the eyewitnesses at the training ground was on Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios, both of whom shuffled past Maria’s training ground, followed by their entourage and the cameras of a streaming service hired by the world association, to get in the mood for their duel on Saturday night.
The hustle and bustle surrounding Maria and the great emotions she showed on Friday after her surprise win in the third round of Wimbledon against number five seeded Greek Maria Sakkari had long since given way to a routine.
Tatjana Maria (l) and her husband and coach Charles Edouard Maria with children
Tatjana Maria’s routines before the biggest career match
These routines are so important for tennis professionals in general and especially for Maria before what is probably the biggest match in the 34-year-old’s career. With the one provided by the tournament hitting partnerthe young Brit Tiarn Bradyshe worked 60 minutes focused: serve, Volleys, slices, returns – all on short commands from the Germans.
Maria has at the Church Road three wins in one for the first time in his career Grand Slam celebrated and with Sakkari and Sorana Cirstea already two seeded players with their double-sided so effective on grass Slicegame unnerved. That would be a great success anyway, which is even more important in the case of Maria.
She knows the second and third row of professional tennis, in 2008, at that time still under the name Malek, she suffered a pulmonary embolism due to a thrombosis, her father died of cancer a short time later. A more positive phase of life began in 2012 when she met the French tennis coach Charles Maria met. The professional relationship turned into a private one – including the desire to have children.
Maria’s return 15 months after the second birth
Her success here at Wimbledon came just 15 months after the birth of her second daughter, Cecilia. Years ago she played pregnant at Wimbledon. In 2015, after the birth of Charlotte, she reached the third round of the lawn classic.
There is with Serena Williams and Viktoria Azarenka, well-known tennis moms. Maria, however, constantly promotes a professional career with her own children for her family and all professional players these days, especially in addition to sporting success, and promotes general changes and simplifications for mothers on the tour.
As early as March, she had criticized those responsible in the Sportschau interview for the fact that players after pregnancy are classified like injured players after their return and that there are no separate rules for mothers.
Maria: “I am a good role model”
Her press round was moved to the largest room on Friday. There she explained at the request of the sports show that no one from the WTA had contacted her since the interview. “I was not accommodated either.” That was no longer necessary because of her above-average performance before Wimbledon, including winning her second WTA title in Bogota.
She is still striving for changes: The focus of the sponsors and other important decision-makers should not be exclusively on tennis. “But they should also help families a bit to get back on the tour. I think I’m a very good role model to be back on the tour with two children and to play tennis at a high level.”
The family, according to Maria, do their thing. “But it would also be nice, especially at the beginning, if there was more help from all sides in general – so that there were simply more mothers on the tour. Having a family is something nice.” An important point is the installation of childcare beyond the four major Grand Slam tournaments. “It’s a pity that there aren’t other big Masters tournaments. It’s good for the kids, they know each other and were also looked after together in Paris and it’s a big help for us. My kids love it here.”
Tatjana Maria: The slice is hot
Eight-year-old Charlotte, who plays tennis herself, saw her mother’s greatest success on TV. “They usually turn on the TV there when one of the children’s moms is playing”, explained Maria. It’s quite possible that the daughter saw the mother burst into tears of joy during the winner’s interview. There were big ambitions court Number two. On Saturday, the stoic again Slice practiced.
“I know that everyone is stressed against me — even before that match“said Maria, underlining the advantage that these shots on grass have because of the shallower take-off. “I can hurt everyone on the pitch and I know everyone here treats me with respect. Den Slice I can play at night too. It will be in the next one too match stay”she announced with a smile.
The unpredictable hard hitter Jelena Ostapenko, opponent in the round of 16 on Sunday, will not really be happy. On good days it is french openWinner of 2017 World Class. On a normal day, Tatjana Maria’s form over the past few days has great chances of reaching the prestigious club in the last eight at Wimbledon.