Who is Maria Sakkari?
Sakkari is a rising star in the women’s game, winning her first title by beating British No 1 Johanna Konta in the final of this year’s Morocco Open. Trained by Mark Petchey – Andy Murray’s former coach – she is ranked no. 32 by the WTA. She is specialist on clay who idolises the likes of Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. As young Greek tennis stars, Tsitsipas and Sakkari had plenty in common even before they both made it to the quarter-finals in Rome. The 23-year-old has known Tsitsipas since childhood. She explained: “My mum and his mother were tennis players. Our mums knew each other before they even got married, since they were 15 years old. So that’s a long time ago. “I have known Stefanos since he was a kid but we played in a different category.Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari celebrate their Hopman Cup win
Tsitsipas and Sakkari have spent time together off the court
“Since he has started playing in the same tournaments as me, I know him pretty well now.”
Tsitsipas’ mother, Yulia, said she believed her son was still single following the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan in February.
The world No 6 won the tournament in front of the onlooking Maria, who raved: “Every time I talk about him I get goosebumps.
“The way he’s playing and the way he’s doing things, he is just an incredible player and an unbelievable talent. I think he was born to do that than to be that well as a tennis player.
“So I think also because he worked hard I’m sure he’s going to achieve many more great things. He is not just a player that he’s satisfied with a good result.
“He always wants more and always works hard. He is not just lying on the beach, enjoying his life just because he is in the top ten.”