With the Madrid thermometer touching 30 degrees, dressed in a long-sleeved black uniform, Maria Sakkari became a fearsome and insurmountable wall for Paula Badosa, whose journey in the WTA 1000 in the Spanish capital ended in the round of 16 after losing to the Athenian for a double 4-6.
The Spanish player did not find a single opening to peek into enemy territory, more than solid Sakkari, the ninth female racket in the world, who did not give up her serve even once throughout the match.
The Greek tennis player only had one delicate moment in the entire match and it came in the fourth game, when she overcame 15-40 with her serve. A couple of games later it was Badosa who had to face a 0-40 that she could not lift, and that in the end was decisive for Sakkari to score the first set. And that despite the fact that in the last game of that first sleeve she returned to have the Spanish break ball but she did not know how to take advantage of it.
The second set started in the worst way for Badosa and from then on everything went uphill. The RCT Barcelona tennis player gave up her service and was not able to return the coin to Sakkari at any time. She showed a commendable and fighting attitude, yes, and she was seen eager to come back but her game did not accompany her and it was the Greek who slipped into the quarterfinals, where she will face the Romanian Begu.
"I'm leaving annoyed, obviously, but since the gravel tour began, about a month ago, I'm feeling better and I'm enjoying the track again, which is the important thing, leaving behind the bump I've been through," she stated. Badosa at a press conference after his defeat. His next appointment will be Rome, where he must confirm this improvement.
