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."