"I feel like the tournament starts now" - Sakkari on making a deep run at Indian Wells

After becoming the first Greek woman to break into the WTA Top 10 rankings last year, Maria Sakkari admits she is expected to be vying for titles in the later stages of tournaments.

The World No.6 is currently competing at the BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells in California, and has made it through to the quarterfinals, a personal-best in the desert.

"It might sound a little cocky, might sound weird, as well, but I feel like the tournament starts now for me emotionally,” said Sakkari. “I’m used to going deep. Now I feel like it’s not something new for me. From last year, it doesn’t feel very tiring to go deep into a tournament.

"It takes a different amount of time for every player. It depends when you break through, I guess. For me, last year was a very crucial year. I think I just feel very comfortable now being in the later stages of the tournament."

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Partial credit should go to Sakkari’s team and close-knit family, for keeping her grounded; for setting her up to chase her big-title dreams.

“I enjoy my life outside the court,” said the 26-year old. “Especially right now that I’m a more settled player, on the top. Having a team that is fun and is not miserable, you can spend time with them. Now in the U.S., I have my sister because she lives here. I try to have people around me, whether it’s my boyfriend or some friend of mine or my family. It always makes your life on the tour a lot easier. But I like the fact that I’m a normal person outside the court.”

Regardless of whom she faces in the quarterfinals — Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina or Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic — Sakkari will take the court expecting to come out on top.

“No matter who wins, I’m going to try to make their life tougher on court," she said.