Tatjana Maria so happy after winning Aegon Southsea Trophy

IT WAS all a bit of a blur initially but Tatjana Maria was thrilled to become the first winner of the Aegon Southsea Trophy.
Tatjana Maria played a brilliant final at Canoe Lake. Picture: Habibur RahmanTatjana Maria played a brilliant final at Canoe Lake. Picture: Habibur Rahman
Tatjana Maria played a brilliant final at Canoe Lake. Picture: Habibur Rahman

When she walked around the packed court taking the applause it began to sink in that she had secured an impressive tournament victory.

Her 6-2, 6-2 success against Romanian top seed Irina-Camelia Begu was completed in great style.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She produced some fantastic grass court tennis with the sunshine finally making an appearance as well to ensure a brilliant final day of the tournament.

Good play at the net and some magical volleying clearly was significant in the win for the German player.

She said: ‘I’m happy. During the match I even didn’t realise at the end that I won really. Now I am happy.

‘I have played in the last two or three months two times already against her but on clay, so it is a little bit of a different story but we knew what was going on.

‘She knew how I play, I knew how she is playing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘I think I played a really good game, while she didn’t really feel really comfortable.

‘I’m really pleased that I went for it and I stayed aggressive, even that I was playing a lot of slice but still I went to the net, I tried to make the points so I am happy with this.

‘It is part of my game and I do it a lot, especially on grass so I am happy when it works.

‘The volleying was key because if you go to the net you put a bit of pressure to the other one and maybe she starts to think. I am happy that it worked out.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Maria enjoyed the week in Southsea and even though some of the tennis had to played indoors because of bad weather it didn’t take any shine off the event for her.

Now she is looking ahead to Wimbledon with confidence and will be eager to keep her good form going.

She added: ‘I had only one match indoors so I cannot really complain and the final day was perfect with a lot of people watching.

‘From the first day I felt really good here. The courts were amazing and the crowd was nice.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘It was a great week and it feels amazing to win. Now I will enjoy the win.

‘At the end we had good weather so it was perfect.

‘Everybody who organised the tournament was so nice and we enjoyed every day here.

‘It gives you all the time confidence when you win a tournament. I will try to keep this confidence and take it to Wimbledon.’

Almost 600 spectators enjoyed the last day of the event in glorious sunshine at Canoe Lake Leisure.

In the doubles final Shuko Aoyama and Zhaoxuan Yang won a tiebreak decider to beat Viktorija Golubic and Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-7, 6-3 (10-8).

Related topics: