Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari has had an abysmal year so far. Her outings at the Grand Slams have left a lot to be desired, with her exit in the opening few rounds. Now, Sakkari has found herself in a bit of a dilemma, given her recent wish with regard to the Olympics.
Sakkari is currently playing at the Guadalajara Open, hoping to turn the tide in her favor. During a recent interview, the Greek expressed her desire to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
Sakkari stated that since the Olympics began in Greece, it would mean a lot if she could bring home a medal. She added, that it would be wonderful to do it in singles, or in mixed doubles, alongside Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Maria Sakkari was asked if she’d rather win a Grand Slam or an Olympic gold medal:
“I come from Greece, the Olympics started in Greece, so a gold medal would mean a lot to me, it would be something extraordinary, like I was bringing something home. It would be wonderful to do it… pic.twitter.com/nLv5zl3KJE
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 20, 2023
As wonderful as Maria’s wish is, she might find herself in a bit of a pickle later. Her mixed doubles partner recently opened up about how his desire to reach the top has changed with time.
Stefanos used to be addicted to the idea when he was younger but feels it deprived him of a lot in life. “It’s definitely something I think about a lot, but it’s not everything. I was addicted to it when I was young – and it deprived me of something,” he said (via Tennis365).
Stefanos has not looked his best since losing to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open final. Given Sakkari’s latest wish, one fan even pointed out that “He’s focused on creating a family.”
She has no idea that Tsitsipas no longer cares about titles or rankings. He’s focused on creating a family.
— Greg (@HotBoyNY1) September 20, 2023
Both Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas are at the peak of their careers. There are similarities between them- both ranked within the top 10 players in the world, yet struggling to leave a mark.
Maria Sakkari is trying to change her fortunes
Sakkari is slowly working to change her luck on the tennis court. She has not fared well in any of the major tournaments, crashing out in the first round three times in a row.
Maria faced a humiliating defeat at the US Open and even broke down during the press conference. She decided to take a break from tennis but the outpouring of love and support saw her return earlier than intended.
⚡️ SAKKATTACK ⚡️@mariasakkari continues to shine in Guadalajara she defeats Giorgi 6-2, 6-2, and is into the final eight. #GDLOpenAKRON pic.twitter.com/WIUgc7xrrY
— wta (@WTA) September 20, 2023
Sakkari has done well at the Guadalajara Open so far, making it to the quarterfinals. The Greek defeated Camila Giorgi to storm into the next round, where she will face Emiliana Arango.
Maria Sakkari will be desperate to salvage the rest of the tennis season. Sakkari has shown glimpses of her potential, but there is a long road ahead of her. Especially if she wants her Olympic dream to come true.
