Maria Sakkari is one of the players competing on the WTA Tour working with a psychologist, and she recently talked about the experience.
Sakkari is a tremendously hard-working tennis player who spends hours and hours working on her game. She's super dedicated to it, so much so that many fans were heartbroken seeing her come up short, many times.
Until the Guadalajara Open this year, Sakkari only won one trophy in her career, which is pretty crazy considering how strong of a player she's been for a few years now. Mental toughness has been a problem for her as she couldn't show her best level in several big matches.
That changed this year when she finally won a big trophy in Mexico. She has a special bond with the country as the native fans adore her, and she loves playing there, so it was nice seeing her lift the Guadalajara Open trophy.
In her most recent return to Mexico, Sakkari took on Caroline Wozniacki in an exhibition match and won. The crowd was super happy to see her back, and she was glad to be back. In the talk with the media, she reflected on her career and how working with a mental coach helped her become a better player.
I’ve been working for the last 5 or 6 years with a mental coach. It really changed the way I’m thinking. Not only on the court, but outside of the court. It’s made me a better person & a better human being. For me, that’s above everything. If you can achieve & unlock things outside of the court, then you can for sure do better on the court.
Many athletes have been quite outspoken about working with sports psychologists in recent years. The stigma is basically gone, and it's that's good because these are important things. Sakkari called it the best gift she's ever given to herself.
I think it was the greatest gift I’ve ever given to myself. I would suggest it to every single person. Working with someone who specializes in that doesn’t mean you have a problem. It means you just want to become a better version of yourself. It’s a great investment that you can actually do.
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