Maria Sakkari’s impressive serving performance propelled her to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Donna Vekic in the opening round of the Mutua Madrid Open. Despite struggling with her serve in practice, Sakkari unleashed seven aces to dominate the match.
Sakkari’s newfound confidence stems from a successful North American swing, where she reached the BNP Paribas Open final, Miami Open quarterfinals, and Credit One Charleston Open semifinals. However, she admits to previously struggling on clay.
“I didn’t have a clear mind the last few years on the clay,” Sakkari said. “I didn’t know how I had to play or what I had to do.”
But this year, Sakkari believes she can excel on the surface. “I do believe I can play really good on clay again,” she said. “I think my game this year is getting better after the U.S. tour.”
Sakkari’s improvement is attributed to her partnership with new coach David Witt, who has encouraged her to adopt a more aggressive mindset. “I’m trying to stay aggressive on the clay because every player has a tendency to play a more defensive game when they step on clay,” Sakkari explained.
Despite a busy schedule, Sakkari is determined to maintain her momentum through Roland Garros. “I just have to do what I did in Charleston and things will go well for me,” she said.
