Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari produced a phenomenal comeback win over France’s Léolia Jeanjean to book her place in the second round of the 2026 Australian Open. The Greek showcased remarkable resilience to advance further in the tournament, but the match also included a standout moment that clearly caught her off guard.
Maria Sakkari Compares Herself to Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz After Stunning Australian Open Return
The 2026 Australian Open is underway, promising action from some of the game’s biggest stars. On Sunday at Melbourne Park, Greece’s Maria Sakkari kicked off her campaign, facing off against Jeanjean in the opening round.
The 30-year-old started on the back foot, falling 1-4 behind in the opening set as she struggled to adapt to the conditions. But Sakkari fought back brilliantly, winning five games in a row to take the first set 6-4. The momentum was with her, and she made sure to close out the game comfortably by winning the second set 6-2 and advancing to the next round.
Apart from Sakkari’s resilience, one moment stood out and caught both her and the Margaret Court Arena crowd off guard. With Sakkari leading 4-2 in the second set, Jeanjean stepped up to serve and delivered a wide, curling ball that initially looked out of reach.
Sakkari stretched for the return and managed to send it back with enough power, striking the ball so wide that it travelled around the net rather than over it. The ball eventually dropped inside the court, out of Jeanjean’s reach, sealing the point for Sakkari.
Sakkari nominating herself for the best point of the tournament on Day 1 – things we LOVE to see 👌@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/kb5q33PHOY
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2026
The 30-year-old was pleasantly surprised by her effort and the result that followed, and was asked about the same during her on-court interview. Sakkari said the return stunned her, admitting she never imagined hitting that in her 25-year career. Overjoyed, she drew parallels with Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz, suggesting it could rank among the tournament’s best shots.
MORE: After Shocking Naomi Osaka, ‘Lucky’ Maria Sakkari Reveals She’s Engaged
“I’ve been playing for 25 years. I could never imagine I can actually hit that kind of return. You see when Roger hits it, Carlos, and then myself. I’m like ‘Ah.’ I’m pretty sure it’s going to make probably one of the best shots of the tournament,” she told.
A similar moment occurred during a US Open mixed doubles match featuring Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu against Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper. Although Alcaraz and Raducanu went on to lose the contest, Alcaraz drew widespread attention after executing an around-the-net-post shot, stunning even his partner as he saved the point.
Sakkari will face either Donna Vekic or Mirra Andreeva in the second round of the competition. According to PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator, the Russian is 76% likely to win this clash and eventually fix her clash with the Greek
