"Guys, please keep doing it. Please keep talking sh*t about me": Maria Sakkari sends message to haters after reaching Indian Wells Quarter-Final

With a new coach and a new fire in her belly, Maria Sakkari has reached the Quarter-Finals of the 2024 Indian Wells Open in California where she will face Emma Navarro for a spot in the semi-finals. She took down Diane Parry on Wednesday night and in an uncharacteristic retort, she sent a message to those doubting her.

Sakkari saw off Parry 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the fourth round and in her first full tournament with David Witt as her coach, she will hope for a similar effect to when he joined forces with Jessica Pegula and there was an immediate title. But she said in her own mind she is one of the best in the world and that haters can keep saying what they want and she told them to do so but she is only wanting to improve.

She also said that this gives her fuel to remind herself what she has achieved and if she didn't get hate, the realisation in her mind wouldn't come. So keep doubting a revived Maria Sakkari at your peril.

"Guys, please keep doing it. Please keep talking sh*t about me, but I'm here and I'm here to be better and I'm here to improve," she said.

"If they want to just judge me because I'm 9 in the world or 10, they can go ahead and judge me. I'm one of the best players in the world," Sakkari said.

"You know, that's it. Actually, that's a very good thing, and I really want to thank them that they keep doing it, because then I remind myself what I have achieved. If they stop doing it, then maybe I stop reminding myself."