Tatjana Maria’s renaissance following a second round of maternity leave is carrying her to bold new places – this time to a Grand Slam fourth round for the first time at Wimbledon.

Seven years since her sole prior venture to the last 32, which also came at the All England Club, the German stunned No.5 seed Maria Sakkari 6-3, 7-5 on Friday.

This was the 34-year-old’s first Wimbledon main draw in three years and first since giving birth to her second daughter, Cecilia, in April last year.

“It’s hard to find words because I came here with my two kids for the first time,” Maria said.

“I was already so happy to be in the main draw and I love to play on grass.

“It’s such a special place here for me. Even one year, my first pregnancy, I played pregnant, so I mean I love to play Wimbledon and to see and make this happen with my family, there are no words for this. It’s only joy, only happy.”

Earlier this year, Maria came through qualifying in Bogota to capture her second Tour title, which made her the first mother of two this century to hoist a Tour-level trophy.

Motherhood clearly complemented her on-court feats.

Following the birth of her first daughter, Charlotte, in 2013, the German – whose husband Charles Maria also doubled as her coach – cracked the top 50 in 2017 and, a year later, broke through for her first title in Mallorca.

She had not won a Grand Slam main draw match since the US Open that year.

There was no holding back what it meant to her.

“[The children] are jumping in front of the TV,” she said. “For sure I have to say my husband is amazing. Without him it wouldn’t be possible.

“He’s the one who believes. Every second he’s here, supporting me, giving me the confidence. Without him I wouldn’t be here.”

After defeating No.26 seed Sorana Cirstea in her previous outing, Maria entered her third showdown with the Greek on the brink of uncharted territory.

The pair had split two previous encounters, including in the first round of this year’s Australian Open, but Sakkari was widely expected to prevail at the only Grand Slam event at which she had not reached the second week, given her grass court lead-up and the ranking gap of 98 spots between the pair.

On the eve of the showdown, the Greek insisted there was no reason she could not prove herself on the surface.

A point away from her first Grand Slam final at Roland-Garros last year, her return to Paris had not proved as fruitful this time round as she was bundled out in the second round.

The loss came with a silver lining as it afforded her ample time to prepare for the shift to grass and she subsequently notched her first semi-final on the surface in Berlin – the first time she had woven together three straight wins since reaching the Indian Wells final – as well as a quarter-final in Nottingham.

The German was under the pump early on No.2 Court when she survived three break points in the third game, but the hold worked wonders to settle her early nerves and she was never hassled again on serve in the opening set.

Sakkari double-faulted to concede serve at 3-4 before Maria secured the set on a love hold in just 33 minutes.

After an 11-minute struggle in the opening game of the second set, Sakkari appeared to have swayed momentum as she held on her third ace and broke for 2-0.

But serving to level the contest at 5-3, the Greek’s forehand suddenly broke down.

An emboldened Maria staved off a pair of set points a game later and never looked back as she secured the final four games for her most telling triumph and a date with former semi-finalist Jelena Ostapenko.

“Now I try to be a role model for my daughter because she will be the next champion, so I try to show her the best possible,” Maria said.

“To travel with my family, to be the first time in the last 16, there are really no words for this feeling. Now I can’t wait to get to the creche and see my kids.”

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