Krejcikova denies Sakkari in Athens Open final, winning 7-6(5), 6-3
Barbora Krejcikova defeated home favourite Maria Sakkari in straight sets at the WTA 250 Athens Open, prevailing 7-6(5), 6-3 in front of 6,000 fans and the Greek prime minister.
Match overview
Barbora Krejcikova defeated home favourite Maria Sakkari 7-6(5), 6-3 to win the inaugural WTA 250 Athens Open on Sunday at the Athens Olympic Tennis Centre. A crowd of 6,000, including Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, his wife Mareva Grabowski and their son Konstantinos, watched the world No. 37 claim the title. Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam champion, weathered an aggressive start from Sakkari and proved steadier in the critical points of both sets.
First set: Sakkari surges then falters
Sakkari began with a love hold and three aces, then broke Krejcikova at love in the fourth game to lead 4-1. The Greek was dictating from the baseline and avoiding Krejcikova's backhand. But the Czech found her range, held serve, and broke back in the seventh game when Sakkari's service level dipped, levelling at 4-4. Both players held to reach a tiebreak. Krejcikova earned the first mini-break for 5-3 with a forehand winner. Sakkari saved one set point with a backhand down the line to make it 5-4, then broke back to 5-5 with a deep return. On the next point, Sakkari approached the net and pushed a volley long, handing Krejcikova a 6-5 lead. The Czech then served out the tiebreak 7-5 to take the set.
Second set: Krejcikova closes the door
Sakkari again struck first, breaking Krejcikova in the third game with two winners for a 2-1 lead. The advantage lasted only one game: Krejcikova broke back immediately, punishing Sakkari's errors under pressure to make it 2-2. The set stayed on serve until 3-3. At 4-3, Sakkari had a chance at 30-30 on Krejcikova's serve but missed a return on a second serve. Krejcikova held, then applied pressure on Sakkari's delivery. The Czech won three consecutive points on the Greek's serve to break for 5-3. Serving for the match, Krejcikova held her nerve, and Sakkari's final forehand drifted wide to end the contest 6-3. One Greek media report listed the second set as 6-4, but the official score was 6-3.
- Sakkari breaks Krejcikova at love to lead 4-1.
- Krejcikova breaks in the seventh game to level the set.
- Krejcikova takes the tiebreak after Sakkari's volley error at 5-5.
- Sakkari breaks with two winners to lead 2-1.
- Krejcikova breaks immediately to level at 2-2.
- Krejcikova wins three straight points on Sakkari's serve to break.
- Krejcikova holds to win the title as Sakkari's forehand goes wide.
Aftermath and significance
The result denied Sakkari a third career WTA singles title and a first on home soil. Krejcikova, who also beat Sakkari in the 2021 Roland Garros semifinal, collected her first trophy of the 2026 season. The Athens Open, a new addition to the WTA calendar, marked the first professional women's tournament in the Greek capital in over a decade.
