Maria (GER) celebrated her hard-fought victory, having beat Williams 6-4,6-3, highlighting the tough conditions and her focus on self-performance. She emphasized the importance of concentrating on her own game against such a well-known opponent.
"Everybody loves Venus. That’s me too. I knew I had to concentrate on myself and play every point as best I can. That was my only focus today."
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Williams (USA) shared her reflections following a challenging match under windy conditions.
"My opponent (Maria) played really well, so I have to give her a lot of credit. The conditions were tough. The wind made it hard to get my shots where I wanted them. Her game really worked well with the wind. It was kind of like a knuckleball, so I didn’t adjust as quickly as I wanted. It just wasn’t my day."
This matchup had an air of historic importance; it was the oldest recorded in WTA history at ages 38 and 45.
"It’s super nice because it shows that nowadays you can play tennis much longer. For all the little girls out there, it’s nice to see that they have time to improve and to play long. It puts them less pressure than when we started on tour," said Maria.
Maria also spoke about balancing motherhood with professional tennis.
"I love it. It’s the best thing that could happen to me to be on tour and give my kids the opportunity to travel, see new places and cultures. I’m a professional tennis player but also a mom. We have a normal life, school, changing diapers, and all this stuff. I’m super proud to do both."
Despite the challenges, Williams found positives to take away.
"Even though I couldn’t serve as well as I wanted, I’ve been working on the speed of my serve. Today I was able to get it at least 10 kilometers faster than last week, even with the wind. That was one of my goals to serve bigger, so that’s a positive I can take from today," Williams said.
"I definitely haven’t played someone like that before, so it was a different experience. Even if I didn’t win, I was constantly in control of the points, which is where I want to be. Some players think you have to be young to succeed, but you can take your time. We all get to create our own path, and that’s what life’s about. I’m creating my own."
The matches in Tasmania this week have highlighted the skill, resilience, and longevity of these world-class athletes. Sell-out crowds have been treated to thrilling tennis and first-class fan experiences both on and off the court.
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