By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday March 14, 2024
Indian Wells – With new coach David Witt in her box, Maria Sakkari is trying to ring in the new, while simultaneously turning back the clock.
The Greek wants to play the type of tennis she was playing when she reached No.3 in the world (and reached the BNP Paribas Open final) a few years ago, and she’s headed in the right direction this week at Indian Wells, where she reached the semifinals for the third consecutive year.
“I’m really buying into the new – not the new, because we haven’t really done any changes, but just trying to play the way I played two years ago when I had a very good run, just going to the net and being aggressive and just going after my serve,” Sakkari told reporters this week in the BNP Paribas Open press room.
“Just being brave, basically. Not playing to lose; playing to win. It has really helped me this week.”
Sakkari has won three three-setters at Indian Wells this week, defeating No.23 seed Emma Navarro in the latest, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, to set a semifinal with Coco Gauff on Friday in Southern California.
PERFECT 🔟 @mariasakkari fights past Navarro 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 in a late night battle and reaches her 10th WTA 1000 semifinal!
#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/h3hJr1UgMi
— wta (@WTA) March 15, 2024
Whatever Witt is doing as her new coach, Sakkari feels it is working. They are at a tournament together for the first time and she told reporters she is enjoying his relaxed vibe.
He’s just very relaxed and very laid back,” Sakkari says of the man who formerly coached Venus Williams and Jessica Pegula. “That’s what I need, because I’m very hard on myself. So I just need someone that, you know, he doesn’t stress me, and that’s what David does really well. Obviously has, you know, an incredible experience on the tennis side.
“On the mental side, I just feel like he’s just very, very relaxed. That’s what I really like. As I said, he’s so funny that I just enjoy my time with him on and off the court. He’s bonding really well with the rest of the team, which is a very important thing, because we spend a lot of time with each other. You know, we created a very nice team the last few days.”
Maria Sakkari survives Emma Navarro with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win in almost three hours to reach the semifinals in Indian Wells for the 3rd consecutive year.
Runner up in 2022
Semifinalist in 2023
Semifinalist* in 20249th WTA 1000 SF
Good start with David Witt. pic.twitter.com/Ne28zUOmAh
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