Sakkari wins thrilling battle of intensity and nerves

VICTORY! 🙌🇬🇷

Maria Sakkari continues her stunning form on the North American hardcourts with a thrilling three-set win over No. 9 seed Aryna Sabalenka. The Greek No. 1 will face No. 1 seed Ashleigh Barty for a spot in the SFs tomorrow.#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/a5mSPd3A0U

— Max Gao (@MaxJGao) August 15, 2019

 

It took her two hours and 43 minutes, and she had to come from a set and 1-4 down. Yet Maria Sakkari emerged the victor in a gritty, intense, sometimes frustrating battle against 9th seed Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the Western & Southern Open. At times, it seemed that each player was looking into a mirror and fighting herself. Sabalenka saved 20 of 23 break points and double-faulted 17 times. Those stats alone should tell you how "unusual" this match was.

Sabalenka won the first set in a tiebreak, during which Sakkari became somewhat undone by an argument she had with the chair umpire. The Greek player went on to win the second set, and the third set was an drama unto itself. The seventh game of that set, in fact, was as good a microcosm of the match as one could have hoped for. Sabalenka served at 3-4, and--after multiple deuces--Sakkari broke on her sixth break point.

After that break, the Greek player went down 0-40 on her own serve, then saved four break points. She then broke Sabalenka again, and successfully served for the match.

A lovely moment at the net between Aryna Sabalenka and Maria Sakkari after their thrilling two-hour, 43-minute battle on another hot and humid day in Cincinnati. 🤗

Take a bow, ladies. What a match.#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/3Yk0s0LYnb

— Max Gao (@MaxJGao) August 15, 2019

It was exhausting to watch this highly entertaining match; I can only imagine what it was like to play it. Sakkari told us, after, "I never thought I was gonna lose this match." She said she was aware, during the match, that there were a lot of break points being contested, but she didn't know how many until after the match, when she saw the stats.

Sakkari and Sabalenka have played doubles together, but they had never before played each other in singles. 


Sakkari's plan for this evening is to do a lot of physical recovery, then to do something (perhaps a TV show) "that is nothing to do with tennis." Her next opponent is Ash Barty.