Juggling motherhood with court time is working nicely for Tatjana Maria.
With the top seed’s third-round Wimbledon qualifying victory over Rebecca Peterson on Friday, it ensured the German would contest her seventh straight Grand Slam main draw, the best run of her career.
Living up to her billing, the 28-year-old took down the world No.125 6-3, 6-4 to ensure she would be a part of The Championships for a sixth time.
Such was her dominance, Maria never dropped more than four games in a set in any of her three qualifying matches.
Serving for the match against the Swede, Maria showed no sign of nerves, sending down back-to-back big serves to draw the errors and complete the result.
The pressure of the prize at stake, though, was not immediately apparent from the seemingly straightforward scoreline.
“It was somehow more intense than against [An-Sophie] Mestach because we knew we were playing for the main draw so we really wanted to win today, that’s clear,” Maria said. “We had to fight until the end and I’m happy that I did it.”
Prior to the birth her daughter Charlotte in December 2013, Maria had contested Grand Slam qualifying or main draws on 22 occasions. Only three times had she moved past a main draw first round.
Now she puts herself in a position to reach at least the second round at a major in four of her past five events and the chance to replicate her best run – a third-round showing at The Championships – last year.
“I’m so happy that I’m back in the main draw,” she said. “Now we have to see who I draw but you know, I’ve prepared myself really well for Wimbledon so I hope I can keep going.”
And after the match it was time for the customary victory kiss for Mum from Charlotte.
When her mother is on court and Dad glued courtside as coach, Charlotte is in safe hands.
“We’re very lucky we have my husband’s sister’s son, so her cousin, Jean-Edouard here,” Maria laughed. “He takes really good care of Charlotte.”
Switzerland’s Amra Sadikovic earlier advanced to her maiden Grand Slam main draw with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Kai-Chen Chang of Chinese Taipei, and is rewarded wtih a first-round meeting with No.1 seed Serena Williams.
The 27-year-old capped an impressive comeback having come out of retirement to compete on tour again.
“I knew if I was going to play good tennis I could beat everyone here with my game but to make it to the main draw is something really special for me. Yeah I’m really happy about that,” Sadikovic said. “I’ve never played in the main draw. I played Wimbledon qualifying about four years ago but that’s it.
“I didn’t play for 14 months. I just got tired of it to be honest and also money-wise, it was not that easy so I decided to stop because I didn’t enjoy playing anymore.”
Slovak No.14 seed Jana Cepelova continued her emphatic route through the qualifying draw, thrashing No.3 seed Zhang 6-0, 6-1 to reach the Wimbledon main draw, while No.4 seed Aleksandra Krunic followed suit, posting a 6-2, 6-4 result over China’s Ying-Ying Duan.
Greek No.5 seed Maria Sakkari ground out a 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-2 victory over Ukraine’s Maryna Zanevska to advance while American Julia Boserup saw off Austria’s Barbara Haas 6-0, 6-4.
Thailand’s Luskia Kumkhum won an all-unseeded battle against American Vania King 7-6(4), 6-4, as Luxembourg’s No.17 seed Mandy Minella fought back to hold off Barbora Stefkova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic posted a 7-6(5), 6-3 win against Russian Irina Khromacheva while Poland’s Paula Kania defeated China’s Lin Zhu 6-0, 6-3.