Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari began her Madrid Open campaign with a straight-sets victory over China’s Xinyu Wang, ranked No. 41, securing her place in the second round and marking a strong start to her renewed partnership with coach Tom Hill.
In a match lasting 2 hours and 8 minutes, Sakkari showed composure and strength under pressure, taking the first set 6-4 with a late break and winning a tense second-set tiebreak 9-7 after saving a match point.
The win not only boosts her momentum for the clay season but also signals a positive beginning to her second collaboration with Hill.
Sakkari will next face Poland’s Magda Linette, world No. 33 and the tournament’s 29th seed, in a match that promises to test both players’ form and focus on the Madrid clay.