Maria Sakkari opened her 2026 campaign with a commanding straight-sets victory over four-time Grand Slam champion and World No. 16 Naomi Osaka at the United Cup in Perth. The former World No. 3 from Greece claimed a 6-4, 6-2 triumph in one hour and 34 minutes at RAC Arena, securing an important victory in her team’s opening tie against Japan.
While the decisive scoreline underscored her dominance on the hard court, it was Sakkari’s candid remarks off the court that revealed what truly fueled her performance during the match.
Maria Sakkari Credits Her Fiancé For the Win Against Naomi Osaka in the 2026 United Cup
Sakkari received a marriage proposal from Konstantinos Mitsotakis during the 2025 Christmas, marking a significant milestone for the couple, who have been together since 2020. Mitsotakis, the son of Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, presented her with a solitaire diamond ring that formerly belonged to his mother, Mareva Mitsotakis.
The engagement had been kept largely private until Sakkari traveled to Perth for the United Cup, where the ring became visible to fans following her matches and social media posts.
Following the victory over Osaka, Sakkari opened up about her engagement and the profound impact it has on her professional endeavors. Through an Instagram video posted by United Cup, she expressed her feelings with evident sincerity and emotion.
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“I’m a lucky girl,” she stated. “I really, really wish that every person in the world gets a partner you love and gets the love that I get from my fiancé now.”
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She continued by describing Mitsotakis in glowing terms, calling him “amazing” and “awesome.” Beyond the personal joy the relationship brings, Sakkari emphasized that her fiancé serves as a crucial source of support for her career. “He gives me a lot of strength and a lot of courage to keep going and just achieve my goals,” she explained, highlighting how their partnership strengthens her resolve on the tour.
Sakkari’s Commanding Victory Over Osaka
Sakkari controlled the match from the opening serve, immediately establishing dominance through her aggressive baseline play and powerful serve. She recorded a total of five breaks of Osaka’s service, demonstrating the consistent pressure she exerted throughout the contest.
In the first set, Sakkari surged to a 2-0 lead by holding serve and breaking Osaka’s opening service game. Although Osaka managed to break back immediately, leveling at 2-1, Sakkari quickly reclaimed the advantage and closed out the set with a precisely executed backhand winner down the line that set up a third set point, which she converted to take the opening set 6-4.
The second set followed a similar pattern of Sakkari control. After the two players held their service early in the set, Sakkari displayed exceptional composure by saving two break points at 2-1 to secure her service game. She subsequently broke Osaka again to establish a 3-1 lead and never lost control from that position, ultimately sealing the match at 6-2.
The entire contest lasted just 98 minutes, with Sakkari’s impressive shot-making and consistency leaving Osaka with minimal opportunities to gain momentum or mount a meaningful comeback.
This victory marked Sakkari’s third win in six career meetings against Osaka. With this straight-sets triumph, she evened their overall head-to-head record at 3-3, with their previous encounter occurring nearly five years earlier.
