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Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari Makes a Case for Djokovic Amid Criticism “You know, people are always going to say…
Maria Sakkari believes that the fact that Novak Djokovic is criticised is the best example that people will always have something negative to say about someone, and that simply accepting criticism as a regular part of their job is the way to go.
The Greek tennis player has a perfect track record in terms of behaviour, both on and off the court. However, it is no secret that she remains one of the most criticised players in women’s tennis.
Over the last few years, Sakkari hasn’t had much Grand Slam success and she has had several early exits. Her critics love that use that as an argument against her. Also, the Greek – who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 3 in 2022 – heard or read many times about her doubters wondering how she made and stayed inside the top-10 for so long.
Sakkari: There are negative comments about Djokovic…
“You know, people are always going to say something. Like, even if I get back to top 5, they’re going to say, ‘Okay, yes, but she doesn’t have a Grand Slam.’ Or “She’s never made it past the semifinal of a Grand Slam. And even if you do win a Grand Slam, they’re going to say, ‘Yeah, but she [hasn’t won] a Grand Slam on grass court’ or something,” Sakkari told The Second Serve.
“You know this because you follow media all the time. If someone wants to say something, they’re always going to. Like, there’s negative comments about Djokovic. Like, what else does this guy have to prove? It’s just the world we live in right now. So we have to accept it, and just keep going.”
Sakkari is 7-12 this year. She entered Charleston ranked No. 64 this week, and after falling to Zheng Qinwen in the second round, she will fall even deeper in the rankings, dropping out of the top 80.
However, it should be mentioned that the former world No. 3’s 2024 season stopped after the US Open due to a shoulder injury, and she is still attempting to return to her previous level.
