Maria
Sakkari received support from her colleagues after her early exit from the US
Open, including messages from Ons Jabeur, Coco Gauff, and Ajla Tomljanovic.
Ranked
World No. 8, Sakkari hasn't had the best season. Despite being in the top 10
for two years and considered a favorite in every tournament she plays, as well
as being seeded, she has struggled to convert her level of play into titles and
has gradually lost momentum throughout the year.
Sakkari has
suffered first-round exits seven times in tournaments this year, including the
French Open, Wimbledon, and
US Open. In the beginning of 2023, she only reached
the third round of the Australian Open. These results are disappointing for a
player who has been hovering around the top 5 for years.
During a
press conference, Sakkari expressed her disappointment following her
first-round defeat at Flushing Meadows against Spanish player Rebeka Masarova.
"I
really have no words to describe the love and support I’ve received the last
48h. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to realise simple things in life. I
just want to say thank you to each one of you for inspiring me to keep going
and get back to enjoying myself. Don’t forget to love yourself," she
posted on Instagram.
Sakkari's
colleagues commented on the post, showing their support for the 28-year-old
athlete. Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig, Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur, Ajla
Tomljanovic, Alexa Guarachi, Timea Babos, and Despina Papamichail were among
those who expressed their solidarity:
For now,
Maria Sakkari won't drop out of the top-10 after the US Open, but the upcoming
months of the year appear challenging for the Greek player if she doesn't
improve her performance. In the WTA Race, she currently holds the 14th position
and is likely to further decline based on her results at Flushing Meadows.