Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Maria Sakkari

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Maria Sakkari made an impact.

Maria Sakkari is a Greek professional tennis player who has achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 3 by the WTA. This accomplishment makes her the highest-ranked Greek female tennis player in history. She reached this peak ranking on March 21, 2022. While primarily known for her singles prowess, Sakkari also attained a career-best doubles ranking of world No. 169 on September 9, 2019. She is a prominent figure in Greek sports and a recognized name in international tennis.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2012: Debut for Greece Fed Cup team

In 2012, Maria Sakkari made her debut for the Greece Fed Cup team.

2012: DESMOS

Since 2012 Maria Sakkari is the first ambassador of the charity association DESMOS.

July 11, 2016: Reached No. 97 in Rankings

After Wimbledon result, on July 11, 2016, Maria Sakkari reached 97 in the rankings.

October 2017: Reached Top 50 of WTA Rankings

On October 2, 2017, Maria Sakkari's success at the Wuhan Open propelled her into the top 50 of the WTA rankings, reaching No. 50.

2017: Reached Semifinals at Wuhan Open

In 2017, Maria Sakkari reached the semifinals at the Wuhan Open, where she defeated Caroline Wozniacki for her first top-10 win.

September 2019: Career-Best Doubles Ranking

In September 2019, Maria Sakkari achieved her career-best doubles ranking of world No. 169.

2019: Premier 5 Semifinal at Italian Open

In 2019, Maria Sakkari reached another Premier 5 semifinal at the Italian Open, defeating Petra Kvitová, among other players.

2019: Ostrava Open

Maria Sakkari advanced to her first final since 2019 after losing nine straight WTA semifinals.

2019: DESMOS Ambassador

Since 2019 Maria Sakkari has been part of DESMOS.

2020: French Open Semifinal

In 2020, Maria Sakkari ended Iga Świątek's 11-match, 22-set Roland Garros winning streak to make her first Grand Slam semifinal. She became the first woman from Greece to reach a Grand Slam singles quarterfinal and later semifinal.

2020: Reached Fourth Round at Australian and US Opens

In 2020, Maria Sakkari reached the fourth round at both the Australian and US Opens.

2020: Sixth Most Aces on WTA Tour

In 2020, Maria Sakkari served the sixth most aces of any WTA Tour player, totaling 144 aces in 31 matches.

September 2021: Reached US Open Semifinal and Entered Top 15

In September 2021, Maria Sakkari beat Karolína Plíšková to reach the US Open semifinal. On September 13, 2021, she entered the top 15 at world No. 13, surpassing Eleni Daniilidou as the highest ranked Greek player.

2021: Reached Semifinals at French and US Opens

In 2021, Maria Sakkari reached the semifinals at the French and US Opens, making her the first Greek woman to reach a major semifinal.

March 2022: Reached World No. 3 WTA Ranking

On March 21, 2022, Maria Sakkari achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 3 by the WTA, making her the highest-ranked Greek female tennis player.

August 2022: Tennis Plays for Peace exhibition

On August 10, 2022, Maria Sakkari was announced as part of the lineup for the "Tennis Plays for Peace" exhibition. The event took place on August 24 with proceeds going to GlobalGiving.