Greece’s tennis players Maria Sakkari (10) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (3) continue to make history for their country. For the first time, their nation has two players ranked in the Top 10.
Sakkari rose to a new career-high of No. 10 Monday, after playing his first final in 2021 at the Ostrava Open, which she lost to Anett Kontaveit 2-6, 5-7.
“People don’t realize how big it is for someone who at the age of 26 - not the age of 20 - cracks into the Top 10.
“When no one believed I could do it, myself and the people around me really believed in me,” she said to WTA Insider.
Adding: “I don’t want to sound like I achieved my goal, but it’s a big step for my career and for every tennis player. Of course, I see myself as higher, but we’ll take it step-by-step.”
Her Top 10 ranking debut comes as a result of a standout season in which the Greek player accomplished two major semifinals, Roland Garros and the US Open, collecting key points while delivering solid performances all year long.
Sakkari further reflected: “I really felt I was ready to [make the Top 10] after the French. Then after playing semis at the US Open, I was 100 percent sure I deserved to be there because let’s be honest, not too many players made two semifinals at the Slams and had the results that I’m having.”
The Athens native kicked off her 2021 campaign playing brilliant tennis, consistency which led her to secure a spot in the semifinals in Abu Dhabi at the WTA Women’s Tennis Open and in the Grampians Trophy held in Melbourne, Australia.
Furthermore, she reached the Miami Open Presented by Itau semifinal early in April, defeating ranked No. 7 Naomi Osaka in the way.
The next stop is the BNP Paribas Open staged at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden from October 6 - 17, 2021.
The combined ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 event will celebrate its first-ever fall edition featuring world-class tennis players. Among them, US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who has received a wild card for the tournament.