The resurrection of Maria Sakkari becomes significant in Doha: Is she back to her best version?

Carlos Navarro | 12 Feb 2026 | 22.54

Is Sakkari Becoming a Threat Again in Major Tournaments? Source: Getty

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It may seem like she has been on the circuit for an eternity, but Maria Sakkari has barely entered her thirties, an age when many players are able to find their best form. After hitting rock bottom last spring, narrowly missing the top-100, the Greek decided to make a 180-degree turn in her sports career, which in this case meant returning to what worked best for her: restoring her partnership with Tom Hill, the architect of the Maria who once reached the top 3, and relying on hard work and sacrifice to regain her best form.

That best version seems to finally emerge at WTA Doha 2026, which could become the true turning point of her 'resurrection'. The week for the Greek tennis player has been remarkable, leaving behind two top-10 players like Jasmine Paolini and Iga Swiatek: the victory over the Polish player stands out, with whom she had endured four consecutive defeats and furthermore becoming the first woman to come back from behind against Iga at the WTA 1000 level (Iga had never lost in these tournaments after winning the first set).

"You are always the underdog when you face the #2 in the world, especially considering where I come from. However, I kept telling myself that I was playing good tennis, even after losing the first set. I had to stick to my game plan and the way I was playing tennis, very aggressive, very brave. It ended up working for me", noted Maria from Qatari lands, highlighting the balance between aggressiveness and patience as the key to her tennis resurgence and the only way to defeat the best players.

"I feel you must be aggressive, but at the same time be very solid, especially against the best players. Today, that worked". Today's match was full of tough situations: the Greek squandered a 5-2 lead, even serving for the match in the deciding set... but she composed herself to eventually close it out with a 7-5 score that became a true relief. "I am neither the first nor the last player to face such a moment. I told myself that it can happen, that it's not abnormal to give up a break in the third set. Getting stressed and tightening up a bit is completely normal, especially when it's been a long time since I faced such moments. I am happy to have overcome that moment, very proud of myself for closing out the match afterward". These are small moments that indeed become crucial if you want to return to your peak.

Swiatek and Sakkari commented on the controversial double bounce, one of the key moments of the match

If the match was full of tension and drama, it was also partly due to a video review that has been widely discussed. It was VAR that awarded a point to the Greek player after Iga Swiatek, at the last moment, made a double bounce to return the ball: neither the Polish player nor the referee said anything, and it was Maria who stopped the point and requested the review, confident that the double bounce had occurred. At the end of the match, both players spoke out about this incident.

"I didn't know, from a physics perspective, how the ball had left my racket. It either touched the ground or I hit it with the frame. Honestly, I wasn't sure", said Iga, an argument that didn't completely convince her opponent. "I feel that you are aware of when you hit the ball with a double bounce and when you don't. Sometimes, you may be confused. I'm not saying she knew, but sometimes I feel you know what happened. You can also say you're not entirely sure of the bounce", stated the Greek, perhaps slightly irritated because Swiatek didn't say a word. Nevertheless, it ended up being a side note in Sakkari's celebration, as she now faces the semifinals against Karolina Muchova with the hope of reaching another WTA 1000 final. Not bad for someone who was on the verge of falling out of the top-100 just a few months ago, right?

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La resurrección de Maria Sakkari se hace grande en Doha: ¿está de vuelta a su mejor versión?