Key events
Righto, that is us. Check back here and on sight for Tumaini Carayol’s match report which’ll be live shortly, but otherwise, thanks for your company – peace out.
Maria tells BBC that her daughter liked the look of the trophy so she said “Let’s try to win it”.
“Everything is possible if you believe in it,”she says, and that she’s trying to show that to the kids, who she knows are proud of her anyway. She was meant to be going to Nottingham tonight, but these things don’t happen often so they need to celebrate; doubtless her kids will want to “eat some crap with Nutella”.
There goes a real one.
Now here comes Maria, and how brilliant is this? She takes a cup that looks a little like the old European Cup Winners’, raises it, and is, without doubt, the happiest person in the world right now.
She begins with Anisimova, praising a great person and saying she couldn’t have wished for a better opponent. She also has kind words for the tournament, though complains that kids aren’t allowed to hit on the courts till they’re 16, her oldest being 11.
Next, it’s on to the crowd and “such a nice atmosphere”, which made things really special for the players, then her family and her team. In France it’s father’s day and her husband is special as a father and a coach, so she thanks him, then namechecks her daughters, the older of whom wears one of the most genuine smiles ever committed to faces. It’s a very, very beautiful thing.
Anisimova collects her plate from Sue Barker, then takes the mic and congratulates Maria and her “beautiful family” on an incredible week; it’s “super-special” to witness it. What a lovely thing to say.
Otherwise, she’ll not be surprised to see Maria in the Wimbledon final given how much running she was made to do. She thanks the tournament organisers, then her family and the crowd; when she was having doubts or not feeling herself, she’d look up and see a full stadium, adding that the support for women’s tennis means a lot.
Finally, she addresses her team – “don’t worry guys, I’m going to yell at you after this” she chuckles. But otherwise, she’s happy to have reached her first grass final and appreciates them always wanting the best for her as a tennis player and person; they’ll argue and celebrate later.
Which is why Maria is a name they’ll all want to avoid at Wimbledon. She’s so confident in her game, so used to playing it, and no one else does. She can’t be prepared for, and when she’s this confident, that’s a massive advantage.
Maria hugs Anisimova, who’s had a horrible afternoon. She couldn’t quite come to terms with a unique opponent, but look out for her at Wimbledon nevertheless – she’s playing at close to her best and no one else poses the challenges she’s faced today.
What joy! Maria has both her kids with her – her coach is also her husband. The older daughter, 11, is a player in her own right – the idea is they’ll one day play doubles together – and the younger slept through the match. Imagine how proud they are and will be of their mummy! Imagine their mummy’s pride at performing like this in front of them!
Tatjana Maria beats Amanda Anisimova 6-3 6-4 to win Queen’s!
*Maria 6-3 6-4 Anisimova Having done much of the hard work, Anisimova twinkles in to send a backhand long, then a service-winner is too good – it’s so rare to see someone whose game eschews power deliver the ball as well as Maria. But as I type, a double means 30-15, then Anisimova dominates the next point and stays patient long enough not to give it away anyway. A return, though, hits the tape and drops on her side, she swipes a forehand wide, and TATJANA MARIA, QUALIFIER, MUM OF TWO AND ALL-ROUND LEGEND, WINS THE FIRST WOMEN’S QUEEN’S TITLE IN 52 YEARS AT 37 YEARS OLD!
Maria 6-3 5-4 Anisimova* Anisimova makes 30-0, imposing her power now it’s almost too late, then flaps a forehand long before wafting another wide; at 30-all, Maria is two points away from what’d be a frankly ridiculous victory. But though a lovely backhand volley gives Anisimova game point, a forehand into the net takes us to deuce, and she just can’t hit enough good shots consecutively. From there, though, she closes out, and Maria must now serve for the biggest win of her career; that’s pressure enough to trouble even the most equilibrious mother.
*Maria 6-3 5-3 Anisimova This is a crucial game and the new balls help Maria, at least from the outset; an ace down the T and it’s 15-0. Another big serve then looks to have doubled the advantage but rather than hammer her +1 , she slices, giving Anisimova a chance, and the ensuing forehand pass clips the net then flies past her racket. We wind up at 30-all, the points now on the American’s racket – she might just be solving the riddle – but a serve out side raises game-point and an ace down the T secures it. Consider that question answered; can Anisimova, about to serve to stay in the match, pose another?
Maria 6-3 4-3 Anisimova* But can Anisimova hold? It takes her two overheads to make 15-0, a forehand to the corner gives her 30, and has she hit a seam? An ace down the T suggests that perhaps she has, a serve-drop secures the hold, and Maria now has a question to answer.
*Maria 6-3 4-2 Anisimova You’ve got to admire Maria’s fitness as well as her skill – the drop on the last point of the previous game would’ve defeated younger players. And have a look! You know she’s feeling herself because she dashes in to clobber a forehand straight at Anisimova, no slice involved – for perhaps the first time today. Then, at 15-all, a return flies wide, and at 30-15 a forehand loops long; but Anisimova isn’t giving up, making deuce before slamming a forehand return back to make advantage; she’s at least having an impact on the Maria serve now, and though she can’t convert the break point, she soon earns another. And this time, she takes it, Maria slicing into the net, and there’s mileage in this yet.
Maria 6-3 4-1 Anisimova* Anisimova still hasn’t worked out what to do tactically, but if she can get Maria lobbing she’s in the the game, because those are shots played to get back into position, without serious aggressive intent. And, well, oh dear – a wild forehand gifts 15-30, a sadly pathetic one donates two points for a double break, and though she saves the first, when the second looks hers too thanks a big forehand to the corner, Maria then sprints in to retrieve a drop, forces the ball back, and Anisimova, perhaps shocked to see it come back, allows it to pass under her racket! This match is almost over, the qualifier almost the champ!
*Maria 6-3 3-1 Anisimova Anisimova will know, though, that Maria doesn’t hit many winners, meaning if she stays patient, she might get the chance to. And she makes 0-15 with an overhead … only to be left like one o’clock half-struck by a gorgeously disguised drop. Ach, then sent backwards and forwards, she nets a forehand in mid-court, and looks almost tearful when, after failing to put away a succession of slice-lobs, none of them all that, she nets as we knew she would (if she didn’t go long first). But a drive-backhand winner down the line gives her a sniff at 40-30, and this time, when yanked towards the net, she delivers the clean-up with requisite prejudice, making deuce. Maria then strays fractionally wide with an approach, meaning break-back point, lays another drop when playing it … and Anisimova gives the chase everything, only to clout into the net. She does, though, save herself on advantage with a forehand winner, then stick in the net rally long enough to find one corner, then the next; an ace follows and back to deuce we go. But though Maria then raises another advantage, a backhand winner, lasered cross, means deuce once more … only for a gloriously disguised forehand to put Anisimova back under pressure. In particular, I’m enjoying the German’s forehand power-slice, hit where others would use top-spin, but she can’t close out so it’s to our sixth deuce we go, Anisimova saving yet another game-point with an overhead. From there, though, a service-winner and unforced forehand error secure the hold, and that might just be that.
Maria 6-3 2-1 Anisimova* Anisimova is, though, in exalted company – Maria has also been too odd and too good for Rybakina and Keys, grand slam champs both. And goodness me, a 15-all, she artlessly hacks a swing-volley long, having to supply all the pace on the ball herself … but from there, makes 40-30, then a Maria slice drops long. Anisimova needed that hold but, flummoxed by the spin she’s facing, she’s frequently hitting too powerfully or too tamely.
*Maria 6-3 2-0 Anisimova That’s more like it: at 15-0, Anisimova caresses a backhand winner down the line … only for Maria to uncork the nastiest of drops, which barely clears the net then dies like it’s satisfied its earthly purpose. You just can’t prepare for this, and as if to underline the point, a second-serve ace secures the consolidation. It’s a long way back from here for the befuddled Anisimova.
Maria 6-3 1-0 Anisimova* Eeesh, up15-0, Anisimova is well in the point, then hauled to the net looks lost; it’s telling that on various occasions, she’s been nearer grass than tape, then a dreadful volley means 15-30 and, if she’s not careful, this match will run away quickly. An ace follows, but an inside-out backhand fired just long leaves her break-point down and, though a forehand coaxed to corner gives her control of the next rally, a backhand into the net puts her in terrible trouble.
Tatjana Maria takes the first set against Amanada Anisimova 6-3
*Maria 6-3 Anisimova What I love about Maria is how easily she lands balls near the baseline, but her serve is of similar reliability. An ace makes 15-0; Anisimova then overhits a return; a delivery out wide is sent back into the net; and so is another! Maria seals set one with majestic composure and Anisimova isn’t enjoying the slices, nor the frequent sojourns to net.
Maria 5-3 Anisimova* Anisimova is soon chuntering, having needlessly overhit a forehand swing-volley with the point almost won … the a netted forehand puts her in trouble. All of a sudden, each shot is accompanied by a minor grunt, the next point finished via overhead, then the grunting stops, she doesn’t do enough with a volley and, caught at the net, is passed down the line. Two break points to Maria, the first saved via T-ace … but the second converted when yet another well-judged slices elicits a forehand response into the net! The German qualifier will now serve for the first set…
*Maria 4-3 Anisimova But can Anisimova break back? She’s quickly down 30-0, but a netted forehand gives her a sniff … and we wind up at deuce thanks to a decent volley. Gosh, and a framed forehand from Maria dangles break-back point … seized wit ha backhand winner cross-court. Anisimova has settled.
Maria 4-2 Anisimova* Anisimova likes the forehand ushered down the line and one such makes 15-0, then a cross-court pass doubles the advantage. And from there, she closes out an important love-hold, sealed with a delicate drop.
*Maria 4-1 Anisimova A big first serve, a return that doesn’t reach the net; 15-0. An ace down the middle follows, then Anismiova overhits a backhand – easily done with no pace on the ball – and a double breaks a run of 11 points in a row for Maria. Next, a long rally, ended by Anisimova with a forehand winner down the line that makes 40-30, and when, at the net, a weak lob is right there for her … she dumps it into the bottom of the net. That’s quite the oversight, and Maria has her consolidation.
Maria 3-1 Anisimova* Anisimova sends a backhand long, then totally butchers a swing volley; trouble. A tentative, rally-ball approach then gives Maria a target and she doesn’t disappoint, a precision pass raising three break points. And she only needs one, Anisimova tamely netting, and that was very poor indeed.
*Maria 2-1 Anisimova Anisimova is into this, dominating consecutive points to make 0-30 and showing off both her volleying and backhand slice in the process. It is, though, soon 30-all, and though unforced errors hand Maria the hold, my sense is that the match is on her racket.
Maria 1-1 Anisimova* Anisimova looks confident too, a forehand ushered down the line backed up with an ace for 30-0. And though, at 40-0, a forehand slice falls long, she soon hits a fine length on a groundstroke and the response is long. Anisimova was hitting well within herself there, feeling her way into the final, but perhaps she’s looking to take pace off to make it harder for Maria to play her game.
*Maria 1-0 Anisimova (*denotes server) Easy power from Anisimova, a forehand down the line making 15-all but a backhand return restoring Maria’s advantage. An ace follows them, after slicing her way to the net, she stretches to stick away the attempted pass via confident volley. She mad that look easy, and verily it was not.
Ready … play.
Apparently Anisimova was practising this morning and had someone hitting slices at her. That makes sense, but it won’t be the same as what’s in store for her on court this afternoon. Thing is – and as I type, there’s another “slice and dice” – the match may, in fact, be decided by how her excellence on the return matches up with Maria’s excellence on serve.
Here come our players. Andy Murray Arena is full.
That said, if I hear the phrase “slice and dice” once more, I’ll … er do nothing, but with a mildly irritated look on my coupon.
We know how Maria will play today: she’ll take pace off and look to make her opponent uncomfortable with slices and spins. She loves playing on grass, has perspective that others don’t, and if it’s windy again, conditions will favour her more than Anismova, who wants to unleash in stillness.
And of course it’s impossible to conceive of this competition without casting our minds forward to Wimbledon. Anisimova made the last eight in 2022 and must’ve been at her lowest around then; she’s running into form nicely now, feeling like an entirely different person. She’s definitely one to watch, whatever happens today.
So who’s going to win? Well Anisimova is the better player with the bigger game; if she produces her best or close to it, she’ll be hard to beat. But Maria is canny and knows that, at her age, this might be her last chance to snaffle so coveted a title. If she can keep Anisimova moving, she’s a really good chance.
Preamble
So we got there in the end. It’s taken us 52 years, but finally, we’re here: a women’s final at Queen’s Club, and what a joy that is. Though it barely needs saying, it’s worth saying anyway: equality and visibility matter; we must never be blasé about either.
Really, it feels banal to eulogise a brilliant tournament, because what else did we think would happen but this? What else could possibly happen but this? Yet conversely, it’s also fair to say that none of us predicted a final between Amanda Anisimova and Tatjana Maria – itself part of the beauty we’re extolling.
Anisimova was outed herself as a potential champion in 2019, reaching the semis at Roland Garros aged just 17. But the slog of the tour ground her down and eventually she acted, taking off the second half of 2023 to protect her mental health and returning a more realised, fulfilled human being – with the same divine ball-striking.
And what a week she’s had here. The portents were there – earlier in the year she won her first WTA 1000 title, then made round four in Paris before losing in two tight sets to Aryna Sabalenka. But even so, there can’t have been many who expected that, after seeing off Jodie Burrage and Sonay Kartal, she’d then despatch Emma Navarro and Qinwen Zheng, seeded 3 and 1 respectively. She is at it.
So, though, is Maria – another who evidences the restorative powers of a career break, having twice taken time off to have and look after her children. Following the birth of her second, in 2021, she reached the last four of Wimbledon the next year and now, aged 37 having relied on athletic prowess, is using her command of spins and angles to discomfit younger, faster and more powerful rivals.
Her run this week has been nothing short of sensational. First, she completed qualifying, then she ejected Laylah Fernandez, Karolína Muchová, Elena Rybakina and Madison Keys for the loss of only one set. Which is to say shes playing as well as she can – and so is Anisimova. One of them is about to enjoy the greatest day of their career, and it is our privilege to experience the battle as they work out which.
Play: 1.30pm BST
