THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 7, 2022

Tatjana Maria

Press Conference

O. JABEUR/T. Maria

6-2, 3-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Tough loss, but tell us how the experience was for you.

TATJANA MARIA: Yeah, it was amazing to play on Centre Court today. But for sure, like any other match, it's a little bit painful that, yeah, I could not win at the end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I want to ask you about Ons. What makes her such an extraordinary person? Can you put into words why you think she touches so many both on the court and off the court?

TATJANA MARIA: Yeah, I think Ons, I mean, she's an amazing role model already where she's coming from for all this part, how she plays, how she is outside of the court. I mean, it doesn't matter if she's No. 2 in the world, I mean, she never changed. I mean, that's impressive because that also makes her, yeah, an amazing person.

I think she deserves it. I hope she can go to the end.

Q. Can you talk a little bit more about the relationship you have with her personally, how it felt in the moment at the end where you celebrated together.

TATJANA MARIA: No, I mean, we are really good friends. Like I said, she's part of our family. It was really nice from her that at the end she wanted to celebrate with me even though it was her moment. For her, it's almost the first time to be in a Grand Slam final. Yeah, I think it was her moment, but she wanted to celebrate it with me, what makes it also really special.

Yeah, like I said, I mean, she's such a great person. She really deserves it. I'm really happy for her, too.

Q. Normally semifinals at Wimbledon, there's a lot of ranking points you would gain. What does it feel to you that, in spite of this incredible experience, you will not...

TATJANA MARIA: Everything stays the same (smiling).

Actually it's a little bit like this. Everything will stay the same after Wimbledon because my ranking will not go in front. I will be top 100, what is already special for me because now I will be the first time top 100 with my two kids.

I will not jump so much in front what I would be normally. So actually, you know, I have to take out all the positive what I did. I mean, I have to realize that I can be on this stage.

I mean, I showed it now that I was in a semifinal of Wimbledon. I think I can beat good players and I have to believe in myself to keep going now and to show it on different tournaments with points. Like this I can improve my ranking.

I think there's a lot of, lot of positive things what I can take out of this two weeks of Wimbledon.

Q. How much has this two weeks been you've created memories that will last a lifetime?

TATJANA MARIA: I mean, yes. I mean, at the end it was a crazy adventure with my family. I played a semifinal of Wimbledon. For sure I'm sad now maybe a little bit because it stops here.

But, like I said, we have to realize all these positive things, what happened these two weeks. I mean, I was so often down and I came back. You believe also in yourself more and more. It gives you confidence for more things.

I hope in the future, yeah, I can keep going like this and improve every single day.

Q. Are you able to share what you said to each other as you hugged?

TATJANA MARIA: No, I said to her that I'm happy for her. I mean, like I said, we are really good friends. She would be happy for me like I'm happy for her. She told me that she want to celebrate with me together, what is actually really nice from her.

Yeah, I mean, on the court we knew both that we will go out and do our best, and after we knew that we still were going to be friends. She's an amazing person. I'm really happy for her and I hope she can win it.

Q. Can you remember the first time you met Ons and you started realizing that you were friends? You're different generations.

TATJANA MARIA: I met her long, long time ago. I cannot tell you now exactly how it became like this.

Ons, she's a really open person. I think, yeah, she is like she is. Doesn't matter what happens. She's No. 2 in the world, and she's still the same person than she was many years ago. That's what makes her great.

Yeah, that's why I became closer. Maybe because of our kids. I don't know. But, yeah, that's why.

Q. She mentioned you were barbecue buddies. Did you play any role in introducing Ons to Serena?

TATJANA MARIA: I think they know each other. I think there's no introducing. Ons, she's No. 2 in the world. I think Serena, she knows Ons, and Ons, she knows Serena. I don't think they need me for this.

Q. What message do you hope you send by what you've accomplished here?

TATJANA MARIA: Yeah, I hope that I can send this message out that I have two kids and I'm on this stage. I think everything is possible. I'm 34 years old with two kids and playing my first time semifinal in Wimbledon.

So I think maybe people will see that everything is possible, even to keep going, to believe in themself, to keep going, to fight, to love what they are doing, to enjoy, at the end to enjoy life.

Q. What message do you hope the ending on court, you and Ons celebrating the moment together, will send?

TATJANA MARIA: I think that's nice for the sport. I mean, she's happy also a little bit to send my message out: even with family, you can have a career and you can keep going. I mean, she is also such an inspiration, yeah, for a lot of woman on this planet.

We both are role models. I think, yeah, it was nice for everybody to see that you have to fight, you have to believe, and you have to keep going.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about today's match. You played amazingly well in the second set. Is there any point where you should have played better or...

TATJANA MARIA: I mean, it was a tricky match. I mean, this we knew before that we have a little bit not the same style, but I knew she could also play a lot of slice, she likes to play dropshots. It was tricky in the first set. Yeah, at the beginning we had some really long games.

I guess the point, I was not serving really well, and in the third set she started to be more solid, she didn't give me so many points anymore. I think this was making the difference.

My serve, the percentage went down, and she was more solid. I guess that's why she won at the end.