In an all-German quarter-final that few would have dared predict, Tatjana Maria surpassed her wildest expectations by defeating Jule Niemeier. The 34-year-old’s run to the last eight had already been one of the fortnight’s most remarkable plotlines, with the world No 103, who missed Wimbledon last year as she gave birth to her second child, knocking out the fifth seed Maria Sakkari and the former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. This victory might have come against a less formidable opponent, but the sheer spirit and willpower required to subdue Niemeier was a sight to behold and one the crowd on Court No 1 certainly relished.
Maria had never previously made the second week at a grand slam in 34 attempts in a career that now spans over two decades. She relaxed before her victory over Sakkari on Sunday by taking her eldest daughter, Charlotte, to tennis practice and admitted the tournament has felt like a dream. That her opponent in the semi-finals is Ons Jabeur has only added to the sense of fantasy. “Ons is part of my family, she loves my kids, she is playing with them every day,” Maria said. “I have goosebumps everywhere. The court is amazing, the crowd is amazing. It’s such a privilege to play here.”
