Ex-world No. 3 fumes at scrutiny over decline after dropping outside top 80

Tennis star Maria Sakkari has hit back after her dramatic fall down the world rankings was discussed on social media. The Greek player, who was once the world No. 3, has dropped outside of the top 80 after a difficult year.

Sakkari reached the semi-finals of the French Open and US Open in 2021. She then rose as high as No. 3 in the WTA rankings in March 2022 and became the first Greek top-five player. However, her form and a series of injuries since then have seen her ranking spiral. Sakkari is now No. 64 in the world.

One tennis fan account on X pointed out Sakkari’s tumble down the rankings after the 29-year-old was beaten by Qinwen Zheng in the second round of the Charleston Open. They predicted that she would not return to the top 10.

@christianscourt wrote: “Maria Sakkari will fall outside the top 80 now with this loss to Qinwen in Charleston… Hard to imagine her returning to the top 10 tbh.”

However, Sakkari, who does not post often on X, took exception to that view. She responded: “Am I the first or the last that’s coming back from an injury and is dropping points?”

Sakkari’s 2024 season was ended by a shoulder injury suffered after the US Open. She had also not played between the Olympics and travelling to New York to compete at Flushing Meadows due to a fitness issue. Her form this year has been underwhelming but she believes she can return to the top 10.

“Things haven’t gone very well since the last Olympics, where I suffered an injury that accompanied me for the following months,” Sakkari told Punto de Break this week. “I admit I made a mistake trying to continue playing tournaments, like at the US Open, for instance, where I got injured again for rushing.

“In the end, the smartest thing was to take a breath, take a break from the circuit, and not return until the next season. It was a good decision to step back a bit from tennis, but my ranking has suffered for it, so now I have to face tougher draws. I believe a lot in my abilities. I’m convinced I can return to where I was, I just need time. I’ve experienced the first injury of my career, I’ve always been healthy, so these past months have brought new experiences.”