World No 8 Maria Sakkari admits suffering back-to-back Grand Slam first-round losses at the French Open and Wimbledon was a hard pill to swallow. Sakkari, a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist, shockingly picked up first-round exits in her last two Grand Slam appearances. Now at the US Open, Sakkari is focused just on her opening match against Rebeka Masarova as the Greek doesn’t want to collect her third consecutive first-round exit in a Grand Slam tournament. “It was very difficult to manage. When you’re in the top eight and lose two Grand Slam first rounds, it hurts, it’s hard to swallow. Then, however, I had two very good weeks of training in Athens and got off to a great start to the US trip. I had a very good feeling before I left for Washington! Now I’ve definitely put the loss in Paris behind me, I’m only thinking about winning my first match. It will be a great victory!” Sakkari told SDNA.
Sakkari focused on overcoming Masarova
Sakkari wants to make a deep US Open run but for now her focus remains just on her first-round match. “I don’t think that because it’s the last Grand Slam I have to move on. Really, I’m only thinking about winning the first match. I don’t care at all where I end up, just to win my first match. And the rest is coming,” Sakkari said. Also, Sakkari suggested she received a solid US Open draw but highlighted once again she remains focused on her first-round match. “It’s a more passable draw, but you never know. They are all playing very well, but certainly in the last two Grand Slams the draw was not so much in my favor! .I have only looked at the scoreboard out of the corner of my eye, because after losing the first two rounds at Wimbledon and Roland Garros, what I have in mind is winning the premiere. We’ll celebrate if I succeed, that’s what we said!” Sakkari said.
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