"Even Djokovic gets negative comments": Maria Sakkari opens up on criticism and her ongoing struggles

Maria Sakkari addressed her difficult situation over the past year, a period that has seen her fall in the rankings and drift away from the spotlight she enjoyed just a few years ago. The Greek star broke into the top 10 for the first time in 2021, remaining there for nearly three years and reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 3.

Sakkari was a consistent presence on the WTA Tour for several seasons. She reached two Grand Slam semifinals back in 2021 and made it to the semifinals of the WTA Finals twice. Her WTA 1000 record is solid, with 83 wins and 54 losses (61% win rate), including one title (Guadalajara 2023), three finals, and six semifinals. However, she’s also faced frequent defeats in semifinal rounds across all levels of tournaments.

For a player who once hovered around the top 5 and was a major contender in nearly every event, it’s striking that she has won just two career titles while losing eight finals. After a disappointing second half of 2024, she has yet to bounce back in 2025 and currently sits at World No. 64—a frustrating position for someone who was a leading figure on the WTA Tour for the past five years.

In a recent interview with journalist Ben Rothenberg for “The Second Serve,” Sakkari reflected on her biggest accomplishments on the WTA Tour: “Well, obviously getting to World No. 3 was huge. And playing that final in Indian Wells, I think... the winner was, because Ash Barty…”

Rothenberg asked if she focused more on her consistency as a top-10 player or felt more disappointment for not yet having won a Grand Slam. Sakkari shared how taking time off helped her find clarity: “I think my time off really helped me realize that. Obviously, when you’re on a roll and you just go week after week, you tend to forget. You just want more, and you just don’t have the time to just get out of that situation, that movie you’re in, and just see the real picture.”

“So I was just being home, being with my friends, being with my boyfriend, with my family for a good amount of time—just being outside,” she added. “You know, I wasn’t jealous of the other girls playing because I was happy where I was. I was happy that I was able to have that time off that I was looking for the last few years.”

Sakkari also noted that she tries to ignore negative comments, since criticism always exists—regardless of achievements—citing 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic as an example: “You know, people are always going to say something. Like, even if I get back to top 5, they’re going to say, ‘Okay, yes, but she doesn’t have a Grand Slam.’ Or ‘She’s never made it past the semifinal of a Grand Slam.’ And even if you do win a Grand Slam, they’re going to say, ‘Yeah, but she [hasn’t won] a Grand Slam on grass court’ or something.”

“You know this because you follow media all the time. If someone wants to say something, they’re always going to. Like, there are negative comments about Djokovic. Like, what else does this guy have to prove? It’s just the world we live in right now,” the former No. 3 added. “So we have to accept it, and just keep going.”