Superb Sakkari dumps out home hero Badosa to reach Quarter-Finals of Madrid Open
WTAMonday, 01 May 2023 at 17:39
Maria Sakkari has not had a great season by her own admission but played one of her best matches so far to reach the Quarter-Finals of the Madrid Open on Monday afternoon.
Sakkari took down the home hero, Paula Badosa with ease in just under one hour, 30 minutes at Caja Magica 6-4, 6-4 with the Spartan attitude associated with the Greek in full show.
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One break per set was enough for Sakkari to move through with very little flashes from Badosa who hit five double faults, 19 unforced errors and missed three opportunities to break.
Compared to five aces, a sole double fault, 68% on her first serve and 2/3 break points won by Sakkari in moving through, as the crowd see one of the main hopes head out.
Next up in the Quarter-Finals is Irina-Camelia Begu who saw off Liudmila Samsonova earlier 6-4, 6-4 to reach a fourth career WTA 1000 Quarter-Final. Interestingly, it is her third in Madrid.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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