TEMPLETON, Calif., October 5, 2026 (by Steve Pratt)
Her first Central Coast Tennis Classic singles title complete – and after the obligatory awards ceremony, speeches, and photos – the only thing left for Tatjana Maria to do was to head to the swimming pool for the traditional winning plunge.
The top-seeded Maria from Germany capped off a perfect week on Sunday, beating No. 8 seed Madison Brengle, 6-3, 6-4, to win the 8th annual Central Coast Tennis Classic, a $100,000 World Tennis Tour and USTA Pro Circuit women’s tournament at the Templeton Tennis Ranch. A one-time Wimbledon semifinalist, Maria did not drop a set, and survived the hot temperatures that crept into the low 90s all week.
The 39-year-old Maria is the oldest player in the WTA Rankings within the top 100. Entering the tournament, Maria was No. 83 and will see a rise in her ranking, as well as her bank account, as she pocketed a check for $15,239. She was watched by her husband and coach, former French player Charles-Edouard Maria. Also rooting her on all week were her 12-year-old daughter Charlotte and 5-year-old Cici.
“I just had to stay calm and fight for every point,” said Maria, who now holds a 6-1 head-to-head record over Brengle. “I’ve known Madison for a long time, and she’s a fighter like me and is going to fight for every point. I was prepared and just so excited to get the win.”
The 36-year-old Brengle won this event back in 2022, and thanked her host family for a nice week on the Central Coast. “I love playing tennis and competing,” said the No. 8 seeded Brengle, who won 65 ranking points and $7,536.
