Sakari's classy victory speech "I know you played with my mom, I know you were a lot better than her" thanks Gabriela Sabatini
WTAMonday, 25 September 2023 at 01:00
Greece’s tennis star Maria Sakkari has thanked the 1990 US
Open winner Gabriela Sabatini for attending the final of the Guadalajara Open.
The 28-year-old defeated America’s Caroline Dolehide to
clinch her second WTA title in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 6-3.
After the match, Sakkari thanked Sabatini who played with
her mother Angeliki Kanellopolou in the 1980s.
"Gabi, thank you for being here today,” she said. "I
know you played with my mom, I know you were a lot better than her, but she
admires you a lot. She always spoke very highly of you.
"You’re a person that she looked up to and thank you
for being here it was a huge inspiration having you on the courtside today.”
Sakkari further went on to further praise the performance of
her opponent on the night and throughout the competition.
"I want to congratulate Caro,” she said. “I mean I’ve
known you for so many years. You’ve put in the work as you said… with your
coach, with your team.
"I always knew you had an amazing game, it was about time
for it to click and you know it happened this week. You have so many
opportunities to come up and this is just the beginning."
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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