After dropping her final three Grand Slam first-round matches, Maria Sakkari is hoping to see a shift in her fortunes in 2024 – in additional methods than one.
The Greek, who snapped that streak when she defeated Nao Hibino, 6-4, 6-1 on Day 1 on the Australian Open, has taken the plunge and adjusted racquets this season. Sakkari now performs with the Wilson Shift, and he or she believes the brand new body helps her get extra out of her forehand.
“It has been some time since I needed to alter racquets,” Sakkari admitted on Sunday in Melbourne. “I spoke to Wilson, and I believe we got here up with an important plan and nice racquet for myself and for my sport. It has been the proper racquet for my sport. I nonetheless get the spin, however I get a whole lot of energy and management on the identical time.”
Maria Sakkari modified racquets. After 10 years, now performs with the Wilson Shift. Says it was the perfect pre-season she’s ever had.
“It was an enormous step. Folks round me had been slightly bit hesitant, however they might see that I used to be telling them that I do know there is a racquet on the market…
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) January 14, 2024
Sakkari stated her crew wasn’t positive that she ought to rock the boat after having a lot success together with her different racquet, for therefore lengthy, however the Greek believed it was the correct name.
“It was an enormous step,” she stated. “Folks round me had been slightly bit hesitant, however they might see that I used to be telling them that I do know there is a racquet on the market that’s higher for my sport.”
So many gamers have horror tales about altering racquets and by no means discovering a consolation degree with the brand new stick. Some do it for profitable sponsorships, others simply search change. Sakkari, no stranger to lengthy hours on the court docket, spent numerous hours together with her new racquet to develop a excessive degree of consolation.
“I simply spent greater than 4 hours on the court docket and greater than two hours within the gymnasium, so it was greater than six hours every single day of coaching for 3 weeks,” she stated. “Clearly I did some double periods of health the week earlier than, and the nearer it got here to the match, my time on the court docket went down.
“However, yeah, it has been I believe the perfect preseason I’ve ever had in my profession.”
The racquet isn’t the one change that Sakkari has made. She has additionally added Sports activities Psychologist Ben Crowe to her crew. The Greek didn’t need to go in-depth about Crowe, who was a former mindset coach for Aussie legend Ash Barty.
“I simply do not actually need to discuss it. I prefer to maintain these issues secretly,” she stated.
No.8-seeded Sakkari will tackle Russia’s Elina Avanesyan within the second spherical.