“The Maria Sakkari title jokes are officially retired" - Tennis fans elated as Greek wins her first WTA 1000 title at Guadalajara Open
Maria Sakkari has won her first WTA 1000 title at the Abierto Guadalajara Open, defeating Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3. This win is significant for Sakkari and has been well-received by fans and the tennis community.
Sakkari, the second seed of the tournament, delivered a strong performance throughout, not dropping a set. Her opponent, Caroline Dolehide, reached her first WTA final, defeating higher-ranked players along the way.
Sakkari’s win is being recognized as a notable achievement and has brought joy to her fans who expressed their elation on X (formerly Twitter). One fan stated:
"The Sakkari title jokes are officially retired."
"Maria is so good at her speeches I’m just glad it’s finally a champions speech instead of a runners-up speech," remarked another fan.
Here are some more reactions:
Maria Sakkari’s victory marks a turning point in her tennis career
Maria Sakkari’s victory at the Abierto Guadalajara Open marks a pivotal point in her career. This is her second career trophy, the first being at the 2019 Morocco Open.
"We've waited more than four years for a second title, and we've heard so many bad things," Sakkari mentioned in her victory speech.
Sakkari acknowledged her opponent, Caroline Dolehide, during her speech.
"I want to congratulate Caro, I mean I've known you for so many years. You've put in the work as you said… with your coach, with your team."
Both players are scheduled to participate in the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Beijing starting on October 2.
In her victory speech, Sakkari extended her gratitude to former World No. 3 Gabriela Sabatini, who was present during the match.
"Gabi, thank you for being here today. I know you played with my mom, I know you were a lot better than her, but she admires you a lot. She always spoke very highly of you," Sakkari said.
Sakkari’s mother, Angeliki Kanellopolou, and Sabatini were contemporaries on the women’s tour back in the 1980s. Sakkari revealed that Sabatini's presence was a "huge inspiration".