Saturday, June 14

Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Queen’s Club Championships final between Amanda Anisimova and Tatjana Maria, including predictions, head-to-head and their tournament so far.

First-time grass-court finalist Amanda Anisimova faces history-making veteran Tatjana Maria in Sunday's title match at the Queen's Club Championships.

The eighth seed in London secured consecutive top-10 victories to reach the championship match, marking her maiden attempt on the surface, while Maria caused an upset by eliminating Madison Keys on Saturday, becoming the oldest WTA 500 finalist.

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Match preview

When Anisimova allowed a 2-0 lead in the second set to slip against Qinwen Zheng, who ultimately forced a decider, the young American might have dreaded a familiar outcome.

In her previous two encounters with Zheng, she had failed to maintain her lead in the opening set, losing in three sets; given the pattern, the Chinese star seemed poised for a third consecutive victory over the eighth seed, particularly after Anisimova’s meek surrender and double faults in the second set.

However, the 23-year-old rallied in the decider to secure a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over the top seed in London, thus breaking a losing streak against the Paris Olympic gold medallist and reaching her first final on grass.

Having entered this year’s event at Queen’s, the first women's event held since 1973, without a career semi-final appearance on grass, Anisimova is just one win away from the second-biggest title of her career.

The 23-year-old’s first came this year at the Qatar Open, where the young American defeated Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets at the WTA 1000 tournament; a similar result in London would be just what the doctor ordered for the Doha champion, who can draw confidence from victories over higher-ranked opponents — Emma Navarro and Zheng.

While significant wins apply to Anisimova, Maria will enter Sunday’s title match with arguably greater spirits after an incredible run to the final in West Kensington.

The 37-year-old began qualifying for Queen’s on a nine-match losing streak; however, fast-forward a week and the veteran has secured four stunning main-draw victories en route to the most significant title match of her career.

Although wins over Leylah Fernandez and Karolina Muchova, both of whom are former runners-up in majors, were commendable, defeating Elena Rybakina, a former Wimbledon champion, and Madison Keys, this year’s Australian Open winner, has raised the bar for the three-time WTA titlist, who becomes the oldest to reach a championship match at this level since a 38-year-old Serena Williams’s run to the title in Auckland five years ago.

After needing to stage a comeback win over Muchova in the second round, the world No. 86's victories over Rybakina and Keys coming in straight sets highlight the impressiveness of those wins, during which she had to remain composed in second-set tiebreaks.

With a nine-match losing streak now transformed into a six-match winning streak, Maria is aiming for a magical seventh to leave her in seventh heaven after Sunday's decider at the Queen's Club.

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Tournament so far

Amanda Anisimova:

First round: vs. Jodie Burrage 4-6 6-3 6-4

Second round: vs. Sonay Kartal 6-1 6-3

Quarter-final: vs. Emma Navarro 6-3 6-3

Semi-final: vs. Qinwen Zheng 6-2 4-6 6-4

Tatjana Maria:

First round: vs. Leylah Fernandez 7-6[4] 6-2

Second round: vs. Karolina Muchova 6-7[3] 7-5 6-1 

Quarter-final: vs. Elena Rybakina 6-4 7-6[4]

Semi-final: vs. Madison Keys 6-3 7-6[3]

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Head To Head

Beijing (2018) - Qualifying: Maria 2-6 6-2 6-0 

Although both women will meet for the first time in the main draw on Sunday, Maria bested a teenage Anisimova seven years ago in qualifying for Beijing in 2018, overturning a deficit to win sets two and three.

Much has changed for both players since, with the German reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2022 and Anisimova, a three-time WTA champion, reaching the semis at Roland Garros, claiming her first 1000 crown and making her top-15 debut.

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We say: Anisimova to win in three sets

After frustrating Rybakina and Keys with her unorthodox style, Maria is expected to create challenges for an opponent 13 years her junior.

Sunday’s outcome may hinge on Anisimova’s ability to limit the unforced errors that intermittently plague her game and avoid the lapses that occasionally cause her to lose several games in succession.

The American player is favoured for success in three tight sets, thereby claiming her maiden title on grass, a second in 2025 and a fourth crown overall. ID:575548:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect6653:

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