Maria Sakkari, in the ninth final of her career, prevailed in 1.43 minutes with a score of 7-5 and 6-3 over American Caroline Dolehide (No. 111) and won her second title after 4 years (2019, Morocco).
🎾 The fans surrender to Maria Sakkari in her celebrations for crowning the Guadalajara Women’s Championship #OpenAKRON2023with mariachi included
📷: Enrique Villanueva/La Razon pic.twitter.com/4PV08Ot31k
– La Razon de Mexico (@LaRazon_mx) September 24, 2023
No words needed.@mariasakari 🇬🇷#GDLOpenAKRONxSantander | @WTA pic.twitter.com/2Ei82yVzBh
– JDL Open Akron WTA1000 (@WTAGualajara) September 24, 2023
1 – By defeating Caroline Dolehide in straight sets, Maria Sakkari became the first player to win the WTA 1000 tournament in 2023 without dropping a set, and the first player to achieve this feat on hard courts since Iga Swiatek – Miami 2022. Strong.#GDLOpenAKRON | @WTAGuadalajara @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/U6Q8qRPCBZ
– OptaAce (@OptaAce) September 24, 2023
F| Akron Stadium
Maria Sakkari 🇬🇷 Defense. Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3#GDLOpenAKRONxSantander | @WTA pic.twitter.com/Yj7AHDxnbI
– JDL Open Akron WTA1000 (@WTAGualajara) September 24, 2023
A story of perseverance 💜@mariasakari he claims @WTAGuadalajara Title!!!🏆 pic.twitter.com/wuTYiHkeQv
– Women’s Tennis Association (@WTA) September 24, 2023
Sorry, Maria!#GDLOpenAKRONxSantander | @WTA pic.twitter.com/jhoP3AaAby
– JDL Open Akron WTA1000 (@WTAGualajara) September 24, 2023
On Monday, the Greek tennis player returns to… No. 6 in the world rankings. The 28-year-old missed the 2022 final in Mexico, but returned to rise to the top.
Simply in the tonight area 🫡@mariasakari She continued her dominant level in the second set!#GDLOpenAKRON pic.twitter.com/06fTAqwxrY
– Women’s Tennis Association (@WTA) September 24, 2023
It is worth noting that Stefanos Tsitsipas also won in August his only title, so far, in 2023 in Mexico but in Los Campos!
Sakkari attracted the crowd to her side in the final as well and won the title without losing a set. Thus, she became the first tennis player in 2023 to win the WTA 1000 title without losing a set. The last one to do so was Iga Cviontek in 2022 (Miami Open).
Fuego 🔥
Warm welcome to @mariasakari Where she won the first set 7-5 over Dolehide!#GDLOpenAKRON pic.twitter.com/dhWYiF0CGH
– Women’s Tennis Association (@WTA) September 24, 2023
Sakkari, as the tournament winner, leaves Mexico with $454,500 in her account. At the same time, she took an important step towards qualifying for the WTA Finals.
The first group: ✅@mariasakari 🇬🇷#GDLOpenAKRONxSantander | @WTA pic.twitter.com/QnxMoOx5Yk
– JDL Open Akron WTA1000 (@WTAGualajara) September 24, 2023
Race
Maria Sakkari started the match with a break point, but her opponent erased it to level the score at 1-0. However, the Greek also pressed on in the American’s second service game and reached 2-1 with the break.
What an atmosphere we have tonight 👏@mariasakari Coming with goods 🪄#GDLOpenAKRON pic.twitter.com/hChzB6oN9o
– Women’s Tennis Association (@WTA) September 24, 2023
Listen to that forehand POP 🔊 😮💨#GDLOpenAKRON pic.twitter.com/XHXuDPAfDm
– Women’s Tennis Association (@WTA) September 24, 2023
From Greece, here she is… Maria Sakkari 🇬🇷!#GDLOpenAKRONxSantander | @WTA pic.twitter.com/kIEIkcNmHy
– JDL Open Akron WTA1000 (@WTAGualajara) September 24, 2023
The American pressed in the next match, but Sakkari defended her serve (3-1). Caroline reached a triple break point in the eighth game and regained the break (4-4).
He made it happen 🏆
With this play, after 1 hour and 43 minutes, Maria Sakkari 🇬🇷 became a champion @WTAGuadalajara 2023 🎾
Big credit to Caroline Dolehide 🇺🇸, who was playing in her first WTA 1000 final from 111th place.
This is how Akron Stadium exploded in Guadalajara ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/wZiZ9aYV0F
– Freddy Figueroa (@el_fredinho) September 24, 2023
Dollahidi erased a break point to lead 5-4 and sent Sakkari under pressure to level the score (5-5). With a break, the Greek reached 6-5 and ended the set with a serve (7-5).
Sakari D. Caroline Dolehide 7-5 6-3
There aren’t many athletes who connect with fans the way Maria does.
Her heart, humanity and passion always shine through.
✅First title in 4 years and 4 months
✅Second title in the Women’s Tennis Association
✅First title in the WTA 1000 ChampionshipThe great Greek. 🇬🇷🤍 pic.twitter.com/KAMax3ODa4
– The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 24, 2023
In the second set, the American led 2-1, but the Greek erased a break point to make it 2-2 and earned a break point in the fifth game.
The net… gave Sakkari a break (3-2). She also defended this with her serve (4-2) and obtained a new break point in the eighth game. The American did not allow a new break point (4-3) but the Greek went comfortably to 5-3.
Sakkari reached triple match point and with her second chance, she ended the match with a break.
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