Maria Sakkari was unable to cap off her outstanding run at the Athens Open in the best possible way, falling to Barbora Krejčíková 7-6(5), 6-3 in the tournament’s final.

The Greek tennis player got off to an impressive start, dominating with her serve and taking an early 4-1 lead in the first set, demonstrating her ability to dictate the pace of the match.

The Czech player, however, gradually improved her performance, reduced her unforced errors, and fought her way back into the set, forcing a tiebreak. There, Krejčíková proved more effective at the crucial moments and, with a 7-5 score, took the first set, despite Sakkari’s effort to come back from a 5-3 deficit.

In the second set, Sakkari found her rhythm again, broke serve to make it 2-1, and showed she could get back in the title race. Krejcikova, however, responded immediately, broke back, and then capitalized on the Greek player’s errors to take a 4-3 lead.

At the most critical point of the match, the Czech player secured another break, earning the right to serve for the title—an opportunity she did not let slip away, sealing her victory in two sets.

Despite the loss, Sakkari had a particularly encouraging week, as she returned to a WTA final after a long hiatus, showing that she is back on an upward trajectory as the season continues.

*photo source: AP