Current world No. 9, Maria Sakkari has faced much criticism for her early losses in Grand Slams and WTA tour events in the past. At the 2023 US Open, she was heartbroken after her first-round loss to Rebeka Masarova and even contemplated taking a break from tennis. However, just last week, she made a strong comeback by winning her first WTA 1000 title at the Guadalajara Open.
This ended a four-year title drought that included six final losses since 2019. In her victory speech, she mentioned the negative comments she had heard about herself and how challenging it was to overcome them. In the past, Sakkari had hit back at her haters and critics, especially on social media,
She had said, “The WTA level is high and I don’t agree with the Twitter ‘journalists’ who don’t have a life and take it out on the players without being in our position. It’s easy to criticize. They don’t know how difficult this life is.” After her Guadalajara victory, she mentioned the YouTuber who had posted a video of all her semi-final losses in the past.
She said, “I know the person with a YouTube channel who posts all my semifinal losses, all my final losses. I’m aware. The satisfaction now, I cannot describe it.”
Just last month, Sakkari had exchanged banter with the same YouTuber on social media and expressed her frustration. She stated, “I really tried to block that semi-final thing that’s been going on for so long and on every platform. They have made YouTube videos of me losing the semi-finals. I don’t really care anymore…people are just so dumb.”
asked Sakkari about overcoming her SF slump today:
“I really tried to block that semifinal thing that’s been going on and on for so long and on every platform.
They have made YouTube videos of me losing semifinals. I don’t really care anymore…people are just so dumb” 👀💀 pic.twitter.com/kVn36Z5yX2— GS Tennis News Today (@gstntoday) August 5, 2023
I’m not dumb!!!😭😭😭 https://t.co/X7S98JKCQD
— Sabinelisickifansss (not dumb (maybe)) (@lisickifansss) August 6, 2023
Her WTA 1000 tournament win at the Guadalajara Open stands as a response to all the critics who doubted her ability to secure another championship. Maria Sakkari’s victory was indeed a personal triumph in the face of her detractors!
Maria Sakkari conveys admiration for Daniil Medvedev
Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari expressed her admiration for Russian player Daniil Medvedev and regarded him as a highly intelligent person after clinching victory in the WTA 1000 tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico, defeating American Caroline Dolehide with a score of 7-5, 6-3.
Sakkari revealed that the criticism and negative comments from her detractors served as motivation for her. The interviewer likened Sakkari’s handling of criticism to that of Medvedev, who had previously spoken about similar challenges.
Maria Sakkari thanks her haters for giving her strength:
Maria: “We live in 2023. Social media is a part of our everyday life. You cannot avoid it. Coco said she knows the user names. I know them too. I know the person with a YouTube channel who posts all my semifinal losses,… pic.twitter.com/tzlYZNH2mp
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 24, 2023
Speaking about Medvedev, she said, “He’s someone I look up to [laughs]. He’s very clever, & he’s very intelligent.” Sakkari conveyed deep respect and admiration for Medvedev and acknowledged his intelligence.