Maria Sakkari was not averse to a change of discipline
Greece's number one, Maria Sakkari , considered during the Corona break to try another sporting field: the 100-meter sprint.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 06, 2020, 06:08 pm
For a woman from Greece, the origin of the Olympic Games, it is almost natural that she is interested in the ultimate discipline of the Olympic Games: the 100-meter sprint. The fastest women and men in the world still take most of the prestige with them from the sports festival, which takes place every four years, even if in the past many medal winners like to blow the rules by in this discipline.
Olympic ambitions in athletics are alien to Maria Sakkari, currently number 20 in the WTA world rankings, the Greek will probably represent her country on the tennis court at the Tokyo Games next year. That's where Sakkari showed himself this week too, but had to quit in third place in Palermo against Kristyna Pliskova in round one.
Sakkari needs the competition
Sakkari is happy that professional tennis can be played again. The compatriot of Stefanos Tsitsipas , with whom she was already at the start at the Hopman Cup, also had a contingency plan. "If the tour had been canceled for the year, I would have taken part in the national championships in the 100-meter run," said Sakkari in Palermo. "The Greek championships start on August 8th. We fooled around a little with my fitness coach, but deep down I needed another competition. I'm fast. But I also knew I wasn't going to win because I'm not a professional. But yeah, I've thought about it. "
According to her own statements, Maria Sakkari manages the 100 meters in 12.7 seconds. And that without a starting block and sprint shoes. "I started playing tennis again on May 4th. But before that I only trained with my fitness coach where it was allowed outdoors. I ran a lot. I think I ran more than ever . "
By the way, Ekaterini Thanou holds the Greek record over the 100 meters with 10.83 seconds. In other words, a woman who hastily said goodbye in Athens at home before the 2004 Olympic Games. With justified concern that their dishonest machinations could be proven.