Anisimova and Maria Set for Grass Court Finals in London

LONDON (AP) — Amanda Anisimova and Tatjana Maria are preparing for a surprising showdown in the finals of two prestigious grass-court tournaments this Sunday.

Maria, a 37-year-old qualifier from Germany, stunned Madison Keys in the semifinals at Queen’s Club, winning in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (3). Despite being ranked No. 86 in the world, Maria’s unconventional style and slice-forward game allowed her to dominate the match, marking her first victory against the reigning Australian Open champion in four attempts.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Maria, a mother of two, after her victory. “I’m so proud to be in the final at such a special tournament.” Maria’s performance has been impressive throughout the event; she also defeated No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina and No. 6 seed Karolina Muchova on her way to the final.

Meanwhile, Anisimova, seeded No. 8, has made her path to the final equally impressive. She reached this point after overcoming the world No. 10 Emma Navarro in the quarterfinals and No. 1 seed Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals. Anisimova rallied back after losing a 6-2, 2-0 lead to secure her place in the final.

The final at Queen’s is particularly significant for both women. Maria aims for her first title above the WTA 250 level, while Anisimova seeks her first grass-court title, following her successful campaign at the WTA 1000 in Doha earlier this year.

As for the men’s side, Taylor Fritz will face Alexander Zverev for the BOSS Open title in Stuttgart. Both players advanced to the final after dominating their semifinal matches against Ben Shelton and Felix Auger-Aliassime, respectively. Zverev, the No. 1 seed, and Fritz, the No. 2 seed, both remain unbeaten in the tournament, showing strong form ahead of Wimbledon.

“I’m super happy that I’ve been able to start it off with a final,” said Fritz. “Once I start winning a couple of matches on grass, I start feeling good.”

The results of the tournament could set a tone for the upcoming Wimbledon, with both tournaments offering crucial preparation on grass courts.