Maria Sakkari stunned the world yesterday as she outlasted Iga Swiatek in a classic match at the Qatar Open.
It marked a huge moment for the Greek star, who has admittedly had her struggles over the last few years as her career has stagnated.
Once tipped for greatness, it has now been nearly five years since she even made it past the fourth round at a Grand Slam.
And now, she is just two wins away from winning her second WTA 1000 title, with her first and only triumph coming back in 2023.
Where do you think she will be ranked?
However, despite the sheer delight that a win like this can bring, Maria Sakkari’s match with Iga Swiatek was somewhat overshadowed by a moment of controversy deep in the deciding third set.
Maria Sakkari and Iga Swiatek react to double-bounce controversy
As the two players exchanged heavy blows from the back of the court, Sakkari found a moment of inspiration as she deftly angled a drop shot towards the umpire’s side of the court.
Swiatek scrambled and appeared to have got it back legally, but the reaction of her opponent, poking it back in play, suggested she felt it had bounced twice.
The Polish star won the point with a backhand, before Sakkari’s valid complaint sparked a video review which reversed the decision and awarded it in her favour.
Speaking to the press afterwards, Swiatek’s analysis of the flashpoint was short: “I didn’t know if I, I mean, from the physics, how the ball went. It was either from the floor or I framed it. So, I wasn’t sure, honestly.”
Sakkari, whilst not blaming Swiatek, remained sceptical as she thanked the technology: “It’s great that we have it, because imagine if we didn’t have it today.
Who is your favorite player on the WTA Tour right now?
“I feel like it’s, you know, it’s very tough also for the umpire to see because you don’t know how they put the racquet. And they’re not, you know, robots, they’re human beings, and they can lose the balance with their vision. It’s the first time I’ve used it, and I’m happy that it exists.
“I feel like you do. Sometimes maybe you’re confused. I’m not saying that she knew or anything, of course, but sometimes I feel like you know. But you can also, you know, be a little bit, ‘I’m not so sure, I’m unsure about how the bounce was.”
Sakkari gave her ‘speechless’ immediate reaction to beating Swiatek on court, rating her level in what must be her biggest win in some time.
Maria Sakkari’s run to the Qatar Open semi-finals
Sakkari dropped her first set of the tournament yesterday, as she came from behind to beat Swiatek and thus broke a 109-match streak for the former world number one.
After all, it marked the first time in that many matches that Swiatek had lost a match after winning the opening set, reinforcing how impressive this feat was.
However, Sakkari’s run to the semi-finals started far more modestly, recording three overwhelming straight sets victories over Zeynep Sönmez, Jasmine Paolini and Varvara Gracheva.
So, having now shown her ability to blast opponents off court, as well as dig deep and outlast the world’s best, it will be interesting to see how she contends with the upcoming task of defeating Karolína Muchová for a spot in the Qatar Open final.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
