No. 1 seed Maria Sakkari’s Bad Homburg campaign finished very early after the Greek tennis star lost to world No. 96 Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the first round.
Sakkari, 28, was making her debut in Bad Homburg on Monday. But even though Sakkari was the top seed and one of the top favorites for the title, it wasn’t a memorable debut after her run at the tournament finished very early.
On Monday, Sakkari was scheduled to meet 41st-ranked Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the first round but that didn’t match after the Italian withdrew before the match started. On paper, world No. 96 Niemeier was an easier opponent but still Sakkari ended up concluding her Bad Homburg campaign in the first round after the German lucky loser handed the top-seeded Greek a 2-6 6-2 7-6 (4) loss.
After world No. 9 Sakkari exited Bad Homburg, the tournament lost another big name after early after home favorite and 2021 Bad Homburg champion Kerber lost to rising Russian star Diana Shnaider. Playing against three-time Grand Slam champion Kerber for the first time, 20-year-old Shnaider registered a 7-5 6-3 win.
For Kerber, this was her first appearance in Bad Homburg since 2022 and returning to tennis as a mother.
After Sakkari and Kerber, one more big name finished its Bad Homburg campaign…
