World No 103 and devoted mother Tatjana Maria reaches her first quarter-final with win at Wimbledon

Turns out an ageing mother might be the story of these Championships, after all.

Even Serena Williams would have done well to top this. From the rubble of the women’s draw, blown open this weekend, is the remarkable figure of Tatjana Maria. 

The German, 34, was on maternity leave this time last year. At 8.30am yesterday, she ferried eldest daughter Charlotte, 8, to practice.

Tatjana Maria was overcome with emotion as the world No 103 made the Wimbledon last eight

Maria fell a set behind against Jelena Ostapenko but recovered to win each of the final sets 7-5

At 10.30am, it was mum’s turn. By 3.30pm, the world No 103 was in a first Grand Slam quarter-final.

In between, Maria fell a set and a break down to Jelena Ostapenko. She faced two match points against the 12th seed.

But after three undulating sets on Court 1 — 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 — the oldest player left standing broke more new ground. No mother of two had made the Wimbledon third round this century. Next up? Compatriot Jule Niemeier.

World No 17 and former Wimbledon semi-finalist Ostapenko was visibly enraged by her defeat

‘Automatically people think, “OK, she got a child, so that’s it’,” Maria said. ‘[But] there was always the belief I can do it.’

Ostapenko smashed her racket after match point and chucked a bottle into her chair, sending it toppling over. She left to boos.

Ons Jabeur, the highest seed left in the tournament, beat Elise Mertens 7-6, 6-4 to set up a quarter-final with Marie Bouzkova, who knocked out Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-2.