Sakkari advances at Indian Wells Open

Maria Sakkari was slow to start off again. After coming up a set behind for her entry into the WTA tournament in Indian Wells against Shelby Rogers, the seeded number 7 did it again in her duel against Anhelina Kalinina in the third round.

From the Greek’s first serve and her first break point, the number 27 seed took the lead, then leading three games to nothing. Maria Sakkari came close to coming back in this first set, dropping two break points in the fifth game.

Postponing the deadline by dismissing four set points on his own face-off, the world number 7 finally saw her opponent pocket the first set on a shutout. The situation of the Greek was absolutely not improved when, very quickly in the second set, Anhelina Kalinina took her service to lead two games to one. It was then that Maria Sakkari woke up to a Ukrainian woman who was overwhelmed on all sides.

Sakkari was able to recover

Immediately erasing her late service game, the world number 7 launched a five-game winning streak in a row, with three out of four converted break points. 

The result was a fully restarted match with a third round on the schedule. Anhelina Kalinina then confirmed the adage saying “never two without three”. As in the first two sets, the 29th in the world was the first to break in order to lead two games to one.

Maria Sakkari replied in stride to return to height then the two players were neutralized. But, after missing a break chance in game six, the Greek returned when her opponent had to serve to stay in the game. If Anhelina Kalinina was able to save the first two match points, she gave in on the third. 

After a battle, Maria Sakkari had the last word (3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in 2h31′) and validated her ticket for the round of 16. She will find there Karolina Pliskova who moved past Kudermetova 6-1, 7-5, setting up a fourth-round clash.