Maria Sakkari has bravely discussed the loneliness and mental health struggles she faced throughout challenging moments during the 2022 season.
After a breakthrough 2021 season, Sakkari faced some adversity in 2022. She reached two Grand Slam semifinals in 2021 but did not progress to a quarterfinal this year.
That led to some questioning whether Sakkari's achievements in 2021 were an aberration, and others dismissed her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals for a second consecutive season.
However, Sakkari's results at WTA 1000 level meant she proved her doubters wrong and made it to the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas. The Greek No. 1 was the runner-up to world No. 1 Swiatek in Indian Wells.
With time running out for her to make it to Fort Worth, Sakkari reached the final of the Guadalajara Open, losing to Jessica Pegula at that stage. She built a special relationship with the Mexican fans and promised to cheer for the country at the Football World Cup.
Sakkari deserves considerable respect for holding her nerve during challenging moments in 2022. The 27-year-old admitted she panicked during some periods but kept believing in the team around her.
In the WTA's video series 'The Real Me' that highlights the importance of mental health, Sakkari recounted being in tears talking to her mother on the phone because of how lonely she felt during the grueling tennis season.
"Tennis can be very lonely, yeah there are times, especially this year like there were times that I was calling my mom and I was actually crying on the phone because I just didn’t want to. Yeah, I was feeling lonely."
"I didn’t want to be there and I felt like a little girl just calling her mom and just crying because I didn’t want to be wherever that was."