Laura Siegemund, who made Wimbledon QF at 37 – ‘I have game, boldness to take out big names on the other side. In a positive, respectful way I don't care'

Indian Express

13 hours ago

Her name might have Siegemund but she isn't overtly in thrall of psychology.
Wimbledon witnessed a novelty in a 37-year-old woman making the quarterfinals of the women's singles, and rose in applause as German Laura Siegemund defeated Solana Sierra 6-3, 6-2, with a tricky game.
The winner of three Grand Slam titles in doubles (one women's, two mixed), Siegemund was a hoot in her post match after denying Sierra net approaches 15 times out of 19, and lobbying over her cheekily and with an array of passing shots that delighted for their angles.
Making Last 8, she was surprised by the popularity coming her way. 'It's an honour. I want to say it's not often that you get such a compliment for being old,' she chuckled, before slashing at giving undue importance to her academic record. She has a degree in psychology and the interviewer very naturally asked if it helped her in tight situations.
"I'm a fighter" 💪
She might be the oldest player left in the Ladies' Singles draw, but Laura Siegemund is not going anywhere after booking her place in the quarter-finals – and the #Wimbledon crowd love her for it! 😁 pic.twitter.com/ogvdPQ94zF
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025
'Oh I've been saying in many, many interviews over many many years that a psychology degree in this kind of moment …really it's worth absolutely nothing,' she said as the Centre Court crowd guffawed. 'Everyone that's good at their job and is a pro in whatever they do, they know that knowing something and being able to perform are two completely different things. If not, everyone who knows how to play an amazing forehand would play an amazing forehand. So that's two different things.'
However, she insisted neither age , nor a formal degree had anything to do with her personality. 'But obviously over time I just have that in me, even as a youngster, I am just mentally very tough. And I'm a fighter. And I learn better to stay in the moment. And I said earlier I'm just focussing on me. There's not much more I have to prove but there are some moments where you want to win so bad you get greedy and it's important to let go of that greed. If you are ready to accept the good matches to lose, then you are ready to win. That's what I try to remember in big moments,' she said.
Siegemund won 5/8 of her breakpoints and 6/9 net approaches, and will run into tournament favourite Aryna Sabalenka next. She told reporters reputations didn't faze her. 'I have this game and this maybe boldness—I don't know if that's the right word in English—to take out big names. I've always had that,' stated Siegemund. 'Just maybe because I don't care who is on the other side. In a positive, respectful way I don't care.'
Just look at what it means to Laura Siegemund 🇩🇪#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/EiuUvViw7c
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025
Her reactions post winning were an emoji scroll, the Korean heart, the 'well, can't help being cool' shrug and the first pump as she became the oldest female left in the draw now. Her game is indescribable as much as it is unconventional. While the deep passing shots from baseline made highlights, whole ending the Lucky loser Cinderella story of Solana Sierra, Siegemund got 89 percent first serves in, and won points off 69.
As per tennisletter, Siegemund prefers clay a long time and has found success on it, and grass was always tough to negotiate. But here she was.
'I felt like I never have really enough time to kind of get confidence from my grass game, and maybe the precision here and there and when to do what,' she said. 'This time that I had already a few matches in Nottingham, and I felt that I had more matches, and I had more opportunity to get this confidence, and it's showing, yeah.'
What Siegemund is more known for are her frequent run-ins with opponents, though she asserts they are not of her making. One controversy involved a double-bounce against Kristina Mladenovic at 2020 French Open, and a 2023 US Open dustup with Coco Gauff. These concern the long time she takes between points, which saw Gauff complain to chair umpire Marijana Veljović.
Siegemund does it in straight sets 👊
Laura Siegemund defeats Solana Sierra 6-3, 6-2 to advance to her first ever #Wimbledon quarter-finals 👏 pic.twitter.com/76WpBuTpyU
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025
Coming from Filderstadt, in South Germany near Stuttgart, Siegemund accepts she has always been 'slow', and cops time violations, which she realises annoys opponents though she defends it by saying her weirdness is consistent.
'I know that I have some very controversial, like, habits, let's say. The only thing that I can say about them, they are really about me. I don't try to disturb anyone, although that might be interpreted like that. I'm pretty consistent with my weirdness that I have, let's say (laughing). It's nothing. I do it for me and not against other ones, but it does lead to confrontation sometimes. Then I'm just, like, Well, that's how I am,' she said.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka got asked about her next opponent. 'I'll just show her that she doesn't annoy me. I played against a lot of tricky players who is doing all of those slice shots, approaching the net, going for lobs. I think mentally I know how to approach these players,' the thrice Grand Slam champ said. 'My focus going to be on myself. I really hope that I'm not going to waste my energy on focusing on another side,' she reiterated of not being spooked.
Siegemund though can get tough to ignore and at 37 loves tennis the way it ought to be. So she signed off as someone who respectfully doesn't care.