Sakkari's stellar performance over Giorgi puts her in the Quarterfinal spotlight

Thursday, 21 September 2023 at 00:20

Maria Sakkari delivered an excellent performance as she defeated Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-2, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open.

The Italian has had an inconsistent season, marred by several injuries that have disrupted her continuity. Nevertheless, she had already achieved her best result of the season in Mexico, where she was crowned champion in February at the WTA 250 Merida Open.

This week, she secured two convincing victories over Mayar Sherif (33rd) and Cristina Bucsa (87th), both in straight sets.

With a 3-0 head-to-head record in favor of Sakkari (9th), who also entered the tournament as the second seed, the Greek player was the favorite in the match. Furthermore, she had notched a solid win in the opening round against Storm Hunter (157th) in her second-round debut.

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Sakkari demonstrated her class from the outset, claiming two consecutive break points and quickly taking a 5-0 lead against Giorgi, who was imprecise and committed several unforced errors. The Italian managed to hold her serve and then broke back, injecting some suspense into the set.

However, she surrendered a break point to her opponent with a double fault on set point, and Sakkari emerged with an advantage after just 36 minutes of play. The former world No. 3 was nearly flawless with her service, hitting 74% of her first serves and winning 76% of those points, compared to Giorgi's 55% first-serve accuracy and a win rate of only 50%.

In the second set, Giorgi confirmed that she was raising her level and sought to pressure her opponent by shortening the points with deep shots, which worked as she took an early 2-0 lead.

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However, the strong forehands were not sustainable for the Italian, who began to make errors, while Sakkari, without much aggression, attempted to keep the ball in play and play more patiently, winning most of the longer rallies.

The Greek staged a strong comeback in the set, securing six consecutive games as Giorgi struggled with her service inconsistency, ultimately closing out the match with a score of 6-2, 6-2.

In the quarterfinals, she will face the Colombian surprise, Emiliana Arango (170th), who eliminated Anastasia Potapova (26th), Sloane Stephens (38th), and Taylor Townsend (101st) in her first appearance in a WTA 1000 main draw.

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R16 | Estadio AKRON Maria Sakkari 🇬🇷 def. Camila Giorgi 🇮🇹 6-2, 6-2 #GDLOpenAKRONxSantander | @WTA

10:21 PM · Sep 20, 2023

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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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