Top Seed Tatjana Maria of Germany, Captures Tevlin Challenger


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Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Tevlin Challenger Tennis News

Top seed Tatjana Maria of Germany concluded her strong run at the Tevlin Challenger with a victory on Sunday, claiming the $50,000 ITF Pro Circuit crown with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Serbian Jovana Jaksic in the final at Aviva Centre in Toronto.Ranked world No. 74, Maria did not drop a set all week. Against Jaksic, she utilized her slice game to perfection, never allowing her opponent to find her rhythm in the match. She didn’t face a break point through the 63-minute duel, and broke Jaksic once in the first set and twice in the second to secure a straightforward triumph.

“I knew before the match with my slice I would have a good chance to win,” Maria said. “I don’t think she liked my game so much. But it was really a tough match also, it was 3 and 2 but the score sounds easier than it was.”

This is the fifth title for Maria since she returned to tennis in April 2014 after taking time off to have a child. After finishing last year ranked world No. 214, she has climbed well into the Top 100 and reached a high of No. 62 in July.

“This title means a lot to me because I started the year really well,” said Maria, who won a $100,000 title in Michigan in February and reached the third round of Wimbledon in July. “I have a good ranking now, it is amazing what I’ve done since coming back after having my baby. I’m happy that I won this tournament because the last few weeks, it was a little bit harder for me and I didn’t have many good results. So it is really nice to win this week, it’s really special to me.”

Despite ending on a loss, it was a positive week for Jaksic, who added a runner-up finish in Toronto to her title at the $50,000 Saguenay Challenger in Quebec last week. She will now rise back into the Top 200 thanks to her performance.

Maria joins an impressive list of past champions at the Tevlin Challenger, including many who have moved on to greater successes on the professional circuit, including former world No. 5 and Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard (2012), two-time WTA titlist Heather Watson (2010), 2013 Wimbledon runner-up Sabine Lisicki (2007), and former world No. 21 Aleksandra Wozniak (2005).

The 11th annual Tevlin Challenger took place at the Centre of Excellence at Aviva Centre, home of Rogers Cup presented by National Bank, from October 26 – November 1.

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.