Maria Sakkari defeated Emma Raducanu on Monday afternoon, securing Greece the top spot in their United Cup group.
Sakkari, who had failed to defeat Raducanu in four previous meetings, defeated the former US Open champion 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in Perth, Australia.
The Greek team, who also boast former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas, will face a Stan Wawrinka-led Swiss team in the United Cup quarter-finals.
After securing Greece’s victory over Great Britain, Sakkari thanked the Perth crowd for staying to the end of the match and reflected on the influence of Tsitsipas.
Maria Sakkari says Stefanos Tsitsipas has ‘one of the best tennis IQs’ she has ever seen
“It feels amazing, thank you so much for staying, I know it’s very, very late, so thank you for staying and supporting us, it means a lot to us,” Sakkari began.
Who will be the United Cup MVP? Anyone else? Let us know in the comments
“Having my team by my side really, really helped me today. Emma, I’ve had four tough losses against her, getting that first win against her, against a great opponent, it means a lot, especially delivering for Team Greece. So super happy.
Sakkari then turned her attention to Stefanos Tsitsipas, who came through a high-quality contest against Billy Harris earlier in the day.
While discussing Tsitsipas’ coaching from the sidelines, Sakkari said: “He’s great, he has one of the best tennis IQs I’ve ever seen, and ever spoken to someone that sees tennis that way, so it’s very important to hear a different voice, and have someone giving me advice.
“It’s very nice, because he sees it from a player’s perspective, and he’s an incredible player, so I’m very blessed and very grateful to receive information from him.”
The Greek star continued, remarking on her fine start to the 2026 tennis season. Sakkari, formerly world number three, fell to world number 92 at one point during the 2025 season.
“Yeah, it doesn’t get any better, especially after the season I had last year,” Sakkari added.
“I came into this tournament with low expectations after a great pre-season, but at the same time I just felt like, let’s see what I can do, how I can deliver the things that I worked on, and so far, it’s been going really well.”
Great Britain should be proud of their efforts
Great Britain’s loss to Greece should not be viewed in a pessimistic light.
The team defeated a strong Japanese team despite Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper’s absences.
Moreover, the nation’s loss to Greece could have so very easily been a moment of celebration. Billy Harris and Emma Raducanu – who had been dealing with a foot injury during the off-season – both fought valiantly and should be praised for their efforts.
What does Emma Raducanu need to improve in 2026?
Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Raducanu’s next tournament is set to be the Hobart International. The Brit, seeded second at the event, has the perfect opportunity to win her first WTA Tour title since the 2021 US Open.
Meanwhile, Jack Draper will have the opportunity to play in his first team event of the year after being named in Great Britain’s Davis Cup squad.
Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say