"It has been killing me inside": Tearful Maria Sakkari was left 'mentally and emotionally empty' and close to quitting tennis during 2023
WTA
The Netflix
series "Break Point" will premiere its second season on Wednesday,
January 10, featuring Maria Sakkari and her challenging 2023 season as stars.
The Greek tennis player broke into tears during a press conference after being
eliminated in the first round of the US Open, despite being the 8th seed.
In unedited
scenes, the series also captures a conversation between Sakkari and former
world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit during Wimbledon training shortly before the
tournament. Kontaveit retired from professional tennis at the age of 27 due to
injuries. Later, Sakkari opens up about her own anxiety, stating, “Tennis is a
brutal sport.”
“Last year,
everything was going great. Getting to No. 3 in the rankings, but then there
was a decline. I lost my mind a little bit,” she said. “It came so fast. Just
the idea of being that close to being world No. 1. I was not ready for it,”
added Maria Sakkari.
Despite
finishing 2023 as the world No. 9 with a record of 38-25, Sakkari had an
inconsistent year. Multiple losses in early rounds against lower-ranked
opponents, along with underperforming in all four Grand Slam events, had her on
the verge of dropping out of the top 10: “Then I just started getting all of
these panic attacks, and there were just matches that I couldn’t breathe."
“I thought
I was going to faint and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling. I was in a dark place
for six months. I was just mentally and emotionally empty. I was scared
stepping on the court,” she added. “I have all these people saying that when I
get to the later stages of a tournament, I’m guaranteed to lose. That gets in
your head. Because of this, I’ve had many tough moments.”
Maria Sakkari's 2023 Grand Slam Performance:
The former
world No. 3 had only two victories in her four Grand Slam appearances in 2023.
At the beginning of the year, she entered the Australian Open as the 6th seed
and secured her only wins in a Grand Slam against Yue Yuan and Diana Schnaider.
However, she was eliminated in the third round by China's Zhu Lin.
Following
that, Sakkari faced a series of setbacks with three first-round exits. At the
French Open, Karolina Muchova defeated her, paving the way to the final. In
Wimbledon, she also had no luck against the young Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk. The
disappointing trend continued at the US Open, where she suffered another
first-round defeat, this time against the Spanish player Rebeka Masarova.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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