It is never easy playing a fan favourite in sport – particularly not when your children are huge supporters of your opponent.
That is the situation Tatjana Maria faced when she beat Venus Williams 6-4 6-3 at the Hobart International on Tuesday.
Germany’s Maria travels with her two daughters, 12-year-old Charlotte and four-year-old Cecilia, who are big fans of the American great.
“Everybody loves Venus – I love her too!” Maria said in her on-court interview.
“My daughters are a fan of Venus, so it was tough. They said they are for me but…
“Charlotte was so happy – the first reaction was ‘oh my god, that’s so amazing, I’m going to see Venus against you’. She was super happy.
“We live across the street, we are neighbours, I know her really well.
“To play her was such an honour because I never played her before.”
The meeting between Maria, 38, and the 45-year-old Williams was the highest combined age for a main-draw event in WTA history.
Williams also lost her first-round match in Auckland last week as she began her 30th year on the WTA Tour.
She made her debut in 1994 and went on to win seven Grand Slam singles titles and Olympic gold in 2000.
She and sister Serena defined an era of tennis, winning 14 Grand Slams and three Olympic golds together in doubles.
Venus Williams has been given a wildcard for the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday.
