Tatjana Maria Qualifies for 2026 Queen's Club Main Draw After Being Denied Wildcard as Defending Champion
The 2025 champion had to qualify after wildcards went to four lower-ranked British players. She faces Maria Sakkari in the first round on Tuesday.
bbc.co.ukTatjana Maria won two qualifying matches on Sunday to reach the main draw of the 2026 Queen's Club tournament. The German player, ranked 52nd in the world, will face Maria Sakkari in the first round on Tuesday. Maria, 37, won the women's singles title at Queen's Club in 2025 as a qualifier.
She beat eighth seed Amanda Anisimova in the final, becoming the first women's singles champion at the club in 52 years and the oldest winner of a WTA 500 tournament. She defeated four top-20 players during the event. Four lower-ranked British players received wildcards for the 2026 tournament.
Katie Boulter, ranked 73rd, Fran Jones at 98, Harriet Dart at 160, and Mika Stojsavljevic at 261 were selected. The main draw consists of 28 players. Maria told BBC Sport that the experience felt like a normal tournament because she had to start over in qualifying.
She said she had expected a wildcard after winning the title the previous year. "I was surprised when I got the message of [tournament director] Laura Robson saying all the wildcards would go to the British players, which I understand. But as a champion, it's tough for me," Maria told reporters.
"It is something that should be normal. If you are champion of an event and you don't get in the year after, I think automatically this should be considered," she added. Maria is an honorary life member at Queen's Club.
She watched the 2025 final with her two daughters. An LTA spokesperson said the organization stages the events to benefit the British game by giving local players development opportunities and allowing fans to see international competition. The spokesperson noted that British players have achieved success and breakthrough wins at these tournaments.
