Maria Sakkari is one win away from ending her title drought after cruising into the final of the Athens Open, reaching her first WTA final in more than two years.
The Greek star produced another commanding display on home soil, defeating neutral athlete Aleksandra Korneeva 6-1, 7-5 in Saturday’s semi-final at the WTA 250 event. Sakkari wrapped up the victory in just over 80 minutes to book her place in the championship match.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the former world No. 3 dominated the opening set before overcoming a stronger challenge in the second to secure a straight-sets win.
The final marks Sakkari’s first appearance in a WTA title match since March 2024, when she finished runner-up to Poland’s Iga Świątek at the prestigious Indian Wells tournament.
Despite her success on the tour, Sakkari has endured difficult fortunes in finals throughout her career. She has won just two of her previous 10 WTA finals, lifting trophies in Rabat in 2019 and Guadalajara in 2023.
Victory in Athens would not only end a lengthy wait for silverware but also give the 30-year-old a memorable title in front of her home fans.
Sakkari will face the winner of the other semi-final between Denmark’s Clara Tauson and former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejčíková.
After an impressive week in Athens, the Greek No. 1 now stands one victory away from capturing the third WTA singles title of her career and her first since 2023.