Sakkari’s Spartan spirit shines, as she advances to the WTA semi-final after epic battle

The Greek defeated no.1 seed Sabalenka in 3 sets

No.4 seed Maria Sakkari booked her spot in her first semifinal at the Akron WTA Finals Guadalajara, defeating top seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(1), 6-7(6), 6-3 on the final day of round-robin play for the Chichén Itzá group. The victory boosted Sakkari to 2-1 in group play and dropped Sabalenka to 1-2, meaning the 26-year-old Greek star will join group winner Paula Badosa in advancing to Tuesday’s semifinal.

As the second qualifier out of the Chichén Itzá group, Sakkari will face Teotihuacán winner Anett Kontaveit for a spot in the final.

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