German qualifier Tatjana Maria defeated American Amanda Anisimova in straight sets to become the first woman to win The Queen’s Club title in 52 years. The final took place at the HSBC Championships, where Maria triumphed 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 24 minutes, marking the most significant win of her career while supported by her family.

Maria’s path to victory includes top-ranked opponents

At 37 years old, Maria’s remarkable run included victories over several high-caliber players such as Australian Open champion Madison Keys, 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina, and Karolina Muchova. Her performance earned her the distinction of being the oldest WTA 500 champion since Serena Williams won in Auckland in 2020 at age 38.

Anisimova struggles against Maria’s consistent play

World No. 87 Amanda Anisimova found it difficult to counter Maria’s effective slice shots, winning only 55 percent of points on serve during the opening set and falling behind early. Her errors increased in the second set, which Maria exploited to gain a double break lead. Despite fighting hard, Anisimova was unable to recover, ultimately handing Maria the victory when her forehand went wide on match point.

Celebration and significance of Maria’s achievement

Overcome with emotion, Maria covered her face before joining her husband and two daughters in celebration. She followed in the footsteps of Olga Morozova, the previous female winner at Queen’s Club, by marking the camera with the phrase queen of Queen’s, symbolizing her breakthrough win at the historic venue.

Ranking boost and career highlights following triumph

Entering the tournament ranked 86th, Maria’s Queen’s Club success will elevate her to No. 43 in the WTA rankings once they are updated, while Emma Raducanu will become the new British No. 1. A former Wimbledon semi-finalist, Maria had previously won her first WTA title on grass in Mallorca in 2018, followed by consecutive clay-court titles in Bogota.

Looking ahead: implications for Maria and tournament prestige

Maria’s win not only adds historical prestige to the Queen’s Club women’s event but also highlights a hopeful narrative of resilience and experience triumphing in today’s competitive landscape. Her journey from qualifier to champion reinforces the growing depth in women’s tennis and may inspire other seasoned players to pursue success on the tour.