Germany’s Tatjana Maria has reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon, just one year after giving birth to her second child.
The German is now in with a chance of becoming the first mother to win Wimbledon since Evonne Goolagong Cawley, back in 1980.
On Tuesday, Maria won over fellow German Jule Niemeier, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, and booked her spot in the semi-finals.
Maria is only the sixth woman in the open era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals after the age of 34, joining tennis icons Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Serena and Venus Williams.
“One year ago, I just gave birth,” Maria said on court after her win. “It’s crazy.”
“I’m in the semi-final of Wimbledon, it’s crazy, but I’m still a mum. After this I will go out over there and I will see my kids and I will do the same thing what I do every single day. I will change her Pampers (nappies), I mean, everything normal.”
Until this Wimbeldon, Maria had never made it past the third round of a grand slam and is currently ranked no. 103. Until this year, she had been ranked outside of the first 250.
Maria’s success so far in this tournament is a great illustration what’s now possible for female athletes after they have become parents. Maria gave birth to her second child in April 2021 and returned to the tour in July 2021. One year on, she is exceeding in a grand slam tournament.
In tennis, Serena Williams has helped to pave the way for a smoother transition for players coming back from parental leave.
Back in 2018, the WTA changed its policy to entitle players returning after having a baby to a special ranking that could be used at tournaments and for seeding purposes.
The change was prompted after Williams returned from leave after having her first child, and became an unseeded player at Indian Wells, Miami and the French Open, after previously being the world No. 1.
“These changes are designed to fully support players in their return to competition, while maintaining the highest standards of athletic competition and fairness,” WTA CEO and Chairman Steve Simon said at the time.
The contribution of women like Evonne Goolagong Cawley cannot be understated. She blazed a trail back in the 80s, becoming the first mother to win a major title in the modern era.
As women’s sport continues to grow, examples like Maria’s success at Wimbledon illustrate how important it is for sporting bodies and codes to support the ambitions of returning parents. It’s also a signifier for emerging female athletes that continuing to pursue a professional career in sport is always on the cards.