Rybakina Defeated by Maria in Queen’s Quarterfinals
In the second quarterfinal of the day at the WTA 500 Queen’s tournament, Elena Rybakina hoped to advance to the semifinals but had to overcome qualifier Tatjana Maria to do so. The 37-year-old German, who reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2022, can still deliver strong performances on grass—and she proved it again in this event.
Ranked 86th in the world, Maria had already eliminated Leylah Fernandez and Karolina Muchova in this tournament, rediscovering her rhythm on grass. In this match, Rybakina missed her opportunities. Inefficient on break points (converting only 2 out of 12), the Kazakh, ranked 11th globally, failed to unsettle the German, whose game thrived on the surface.
Despite an early break in the second set, Rybakina couldn’t capitalize, even with 10 aces in the match. Maria, more composed in crucial moments, ultimately sealed the victory in straight sets (6-4, 7-6 in 1h45).
Maria, who has now defeated her second top-20 player in this tournament, will face Madison Keys for a spot in the final. The American earlier defeated Diana Shnaider (2-6, 6-3, 6-4).
For Rybakina, this marks another disappointment in her season. She will now compete in the WTA 500 Berlin tournament to regain confidence before Wimbledon, where she reached the semifinals last year.
"This victory means a lot to me. It’s a perfect example of never giving up and always giving your all, no matter what happens. I’m still here, with my family and team by my side—it’s a dream.
We’re all enjoying this incredible journey together. I’m very proud to be here and to reach the semifinals," the 37-year-old German said on court after her win.
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