© Getty Images Sport – Sarah Stier
World No 8 Maria Sakkari broke down in tears following her shock US Open first-round exit and hinted she may be taking a break from tennis since she is “suffering on the court.” On Monday, Sakkari exited the US Open after world No 71 Rebeka Masarova handed her a 6-4 6-4 loss.
For Sakkari, it was her third consecutive first-round loss at a Grand Slam tournament. “I wouldn’t say I was playing well. If I played at least five or 10 percent better, I would have won that match. These are the matches that I have to win.
I cannot lose these matches, there have been too many for my level this year and it’s unfortunate. I just feel like my level was and has been poor and I have to do something about it. It’s not a lack of effort, for sure.
I don’t know. It’s very uncertain, I don’t know what I am going to do, whether I am going to take a break or not,” Sakkari said after the loss.
Sakkari says she is ‘suffering on the court’
After the loss, Sakkari also told Greek publication SDNA: “I was very nervous, I don’t know what I’m going to do, I really don’t know, it’s always the same.
Maybe I should take a break, I’m suffering on the court. I can’t make a decision…
