Qualifier Maria stuns Keys to reach Queens final

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Qualifier Maria makes history in Queens win over Keys

Tatjana Maria says her Queens run has been a "dream come true" after she came through qualifying to reach the final, where she will meet Amanda Anisimova.

The 37-year-old German became the oldest woman to reach a WTA 500 final with a stunning 6-3 7-6 (7-3) victory over Australian Open winner Madison Keys in the last four.

The mother-of-two arrived at Queens on a nine-match losing streak but has beaten three top-20 players on her way to Sundays showpiece.

"You always have to keep going. You never can stop, [it] doesnt matter how it goes," world number 86 Maria said.

"I love to play tennis, I love the sport and we live for these special moments - thats why its amazing."

American eighth seed Anisimova beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 6-2 4-6 6-4 in a gruelling match to reach a first grass-court final.

Both players will now bid to become the first womens singles champion at Queens for 52 years.

Tatjana Marias best run at a Grand Slam was reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2022

Raising her arms in the air after securing victory, Maria rushed over to celebrate with her husband Charles-Edouard and eldest daughter Charlotte, while youngest daughter Cecilia slept on in her pushchair.

Maria took two maternity breaks from the WTA Tour and reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2022, just one year after the birth of her youngest daughter.

Her family travel on tour with her, with her husband working as her coach and Charlotte a frequent fixture on the practice courts.

Her message after shocking former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals was to "never give up".

She delivered that same motto again on Saturday after making relatively light work of world number eight Keys.

Keys, one of the in-form players on the WTA Tour, has won three grass-court titles on British soil but was left frustrated by Marias slice-heavy style.

Maria immediately put Keys huge serve under pressure, finding the breakthrough in the fourth game before securing the opening set in confident style.

The pair could barely be separated in a tight second set, with both saving break points before Maria sent it to a tie-break.

But unforced errors from Keys gifted Maria four match points, and she took her second as the American missed a swipe at the net.

Maria wrote "OMG finals" with a smiley face on the camera lens after her triumph, before telling the crowd: "I cannot believe it, its a dream come true.

"I could not wish for a better tournament to be in the final and Im so proud."

"I love to be here with my family, my team. It makes it so special that we live this dream together."

This time last year Anisimova was ranked 190 in the world as she made her return from a mental health break.

The 23-year-old has since risen up the rankings to a career-high of 15 and will now contest her second final of the season.

She looked well on her way to a comfortable victory after wrapping up the first set against top seed Zheng in just 38 minutes.

But the Chinese battled back in a second set which featured seven breaks of serve, with Anisimova growing increasingly frustrated.

Zheng appeared to be struggling with the surface, twice slipping over before changing her shoes midway through the third set, while the breezy conditions caused both women problems on serve.

But after saving three break points for 3-3, Anisimova won three of the final four games to secure victory, throwing herself to the ground in relief as Zheng sent a forehand long.

"Im so happy to be through this match - Ive never gotten a win over her," said Anisimova.

"Every time we played weve had some tough battles, and I was just relieved at the end.

"The conditions were difficult but we still managed to play some good tennis so Im happy."