London (AFP) - Germany's Tatjana Maria saved two match points to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final at Wimbledon on Sunday, 15 years after her debut and following two spells out of tennis to have children.
The 34-year-old mother-of-two defeated former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 after battling back from 1-4 down in the second set.
Maria, ranked 103, fired nine aces and exploited Ostapenko's all-or-nothing approach, which resulted in 52 winners and 57 unforced errors.
Maria made her Wimbledon debut back in 2007, but had never previously got beyond the third round of a Grand Slam.
"It makes me so proud to be a mum -- that's the best thing in the world," said Maria, who only returned from a second maternity leave less than a year ago.
"I love my kids.To be able to do it together, it makes this really special."
Maria's first daughter, Charlotte, was born in 2013, with Cecilia following in April 2021.
Charlotte has even been hitting with her mother on the indoor courts at Wimbledon.
"There were a lot of people who didn't believe in me because when you get kids, automatically people think, 'OK, she got a child, so that's it'," she said.
Three mothers started out in the women's draw at Wimbledon this year -- Maria, Serena Williams and Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium.
Williams lost in the first round to Harmony Tan and remains without a Slam title since her 23rd major success at the 2017 Australian Open, when she was already pregnant with daughter Olympia.
Wickmayer, who gave birth to daughter Luana in April last year, made the second round at the All England Club, where she lost to Ostapenko.
"Maybe I can appreciate it more because I know that there are more important things in life than playing a tennis match," added Maria of her late career surge.
"I know there are more important things outside.I know my family is the most important for me and my two kids.
"I take care of my two kids and everything will be normal and that's it.For me, it doesn't change anything on my outside.I'm a mum.I love to be a mum.I love my two kids."
Maria will face fellow German Jule Niemeier, ranked at 97, for a place in the semi-finals.
