Sakkari Showing Grand Slam Potential
Sakkari Showing Grand Slam Potential
A player who is emerging as one of the best prospects in the game, Greece’s Maria Sakkari looks like she can land a maiden Grand Slam title soon.
Her performances in the last couple of years have seen her climb up to third place in the world rankings and a first major title would put this talented player on the map.
Building On 2021
While Sakkari failed to bag a first Grand Slam last year, 2021 can certainly be considered a positive 12 months for the Athens star. Sakkari, who is +1800 in the Betfair tennis odds to win the 2022 French Open, impressed at Roland Garros last year to reach the semi-finals of the competition. Beating some big names on the way to the last four, Sakkari suffered a 7-5, 6-4, 9-7 defeat to the eventual winner Barbora Krejčíková of the Czech Republic. While it will have been a tough defeat to take, with a first Grand Slam final in touching distance, Sakkari will have learned plenty from the experience and what it will take to bag that first major title.
Having shown her talents on clay at Roland Garros, Sakkari also showed she’s a threat on hard courts, as she also reached the semi-finals of the US Open last year. Beating Karolína Plíšková in the quarter-finals, it was to be more last-four heartbreak for Sakkari as once again she lost out to the tournament’s eventual winner. These runs in Grand Slam events in Paris and New York have shown what a talent Sakkari is and why a maiden major title might not be too far around the corner.
The Upward Trajectory Is Clear
Looking at Sakkari’s place in the world rankings over recent years, it’s clear to see how the 26-year-old’s game has been progressing. Currently working with coach Tom Hill, Sakkari was at 41 in the rankings in 2018. Reaching the latter stages of tournaments has seen her stature in the sport rise and, while she is still seeking a first singles title, her climb in the rankings has been positive.
The early signs of 2022 have been also positive for Sakkari, with her run to the final of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells being the highlight. Five wins on the bounce to reach the final in California but just falling short in the showpiece finale. Proceeding that impressive run at Indian Wells, Sakkari also reached the final of the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy only to lose to Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit 7-5, 6-7, 5-7. There will have been plenty of frustration of failing to overcome the final hurdle in these tournaments, but it’s all part of the learning process for Sakkari. While other players have enjoyed a quick rise in the sport and only enjoyed fleeting success, Sakkari looks as though she is building a game that can see her win titles over the long term.
If 2021 was Sakkari’s nearly year, perhaps 2022 can be the one she finally lands that elusive first Grand Slam title.