Immediately after qualifying for the second round of the US Open yesterday, Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari was asked by media to respond to Andy Murray's accusation that Stefanos Tsitsipas "çheats" with his long toilet breaks.
Sakkari, responding to this well known trait of Tsitsipas, wasted no time in defending the Greek world number 3, saying he honestly has an intense 'sweating issue' and needs to change clothes often and that she does not believe it's a 'tactic' as insinuated by Murray and other commentators.
"I know Stefanos very well and I know that he sweats a lot. I played with him in Tokyo and he was sweating a lot. I know he needs to go change and that's why he goes to the toilet. It is not possible to change his shorts and underwear on the court. It may take him longer than other players, but I do not think he deliberately goes to the locker room and sits there doing nothing just to irritate his opponent or cut the pace. It takes him a lot of time because he has to change a lot of things ... I don't think he does it on purpose ".
Regarding her victory over Martha Kostjuk Sakkari said that "the first round of the Grand Slam is never easy. I served well, especially when I had to do it, I was quite good from the baseline and spiritually I was really good. "
"I do not care about the heat and humidity. After Tokyo, I can get used to any conditions. The conditions there were very harsh and now I am used to them. Growing up in Greece, in a country that is very hot, especially in summer, gives me the opportunity to adapt more easily than other players. You could say, like to play in these conditions." she concluded.
