"It’s magnified in your brain, always worse in your head": Martina Navratilova sympathises with Maria Sakkari struggles

Former world number Martina Navratilova has sympathised with Greece’s tennis star Maria Sakkari for her recent struggles.

The 28-year-old had a difficult start to her campaign in 2024 where nothing much went right for her on the court. Navratilova was recently quoted in a report where she sympathised with Sakkari for her struggles ahead of the Qatar Open.

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“I mean, she’s trying everything,”. “When things go bad, when you’re in a slump like that it’s difficult to talk yourself into being confident. It’s magnified in your brain, always worse in your head. It’s such a struggle against yourself. She’s such a competitor, good for the game. You have to admire her perseverance. She fights every point — I love that."

Sakkari suffered a second-round exit from the first Grand Slam of the year — Australian Open — as she lost to Russia’s Elina Avanesyan in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-4.\

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She later took part in the Abu Dhabi Open but even there, not much went right for her as she lost in the round of 16 tie to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-1. The Athens-born will now take part in the Qatar Open where she will play her opening match on Tuesday.