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Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was sent crashing out of the Queen’s Club Championships on Friday as German qualifier Tatjana Maria claimed a stunning straight-sets victory to book her place in the semi-finals.
The 37-year-old Maria, who had to come through qualifying to enter the main draw, kept her cool after a nervy finish to secure a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win over the fourth-seeded Kazakh. She will now face Australia’s Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Maria, a mother of two and ranked 86th in the world, broke Rybakina once to claim the opening set and then surged into a 5-3 lead in the second with two more breaks. But Rybakina, who lifted the Wimbledon trophy in 2022, rallied to level at 5-5, forcing a tiebreak.
The breaker remained tight at 4-4 before Rybakina faltered with a double fault. Maria, showing remarkable poise, closed out the match with an ace, completing the upset in one hour and 45 minutes.
Speaking after the match, Maria reflected on her journey and the importance of perseverance. “It means so much to me. It’s a perfect example of never giving up—always keep going, no matter what. I’m still here living this dream,” she said. “I have my family with me and an amazing team.”
Beaming with pride, she added, “I’m super proud to be in the semi-final, and I hope in a few years you’ll see my daughter, who’s 11, playing on this stage.”
Earlier in the day, second seed Madison Keys came from behind to defeat Russia’s Diana Shnaider 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, securing her spot in the semi-finals.
Top seed Zheng Qinwen also advanced, overcoming British favourite Emma Raducanu in straight sets. Zheng dominated the opening set with two breaks of serve before recovering from a 0-3 deficit in the second to win 6-4, 6-4 and silence the home crowd.
Raducanu, who had shown glimpses of her best form earlier in the tournament, faded under pressure as Zheng broke back three times in a row to turn the set—and the match—on its head.
Zheng will next face eighth seed Amanda Anisimova, who wrapped up a composed 6-3, 6-3 win over compatriot and third seed Emma Navarro in the final match of the day on Andy Murray Arena.
