Emma Raducanu's Wimbledon opponent left with egg on her face after press conference

Maria Sakkari's top-10 comment came back to haunt her after she lost to Emma Raducanu

The 21-year-old now has a 2-0 record against the Greek star after beating her in the US Open semi-final en route to her historic title victory three years ago. Raducanu also lost only five games in that 2021 meeting, coming through 6-1 6-4. And Sakkari was hoping to settle the score in a long-awaited rematch three years later. Ahead of the match, the 28-year-old was asked what she made of the opportunity to face a British player on their home turf. But she brushed it off to remind Raducanu that she was the top player with experience on the biggest stages.

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Emma Raducanu dropped just five games as she stunned No. 9 seed Maria Sakkari

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“I think the opportunity is for both. She's also playing a top-10 player. Let's not forget that,” Sakkari stated. “She's an unbelievable player. She's very talented. She's very promising. Even after winning a Grand Slam, she's still very young. “Obviously, she's going to be the favorite because she'll be playing [at] home. If anything, that's normal. But I'm excited. It's another challenge. That's why we play tennis. That's what we play for. It's going to be pretty exciting. I'm pumped.” The world No. 9 also shut down suggestions that it would be a big occasion. “It's a third-round match,” she said. “I've never played on Centre, so it's going to be amazing. I've played in big courts. I played on Arthur Ashe. I played in Indian Wells, which is the second biggest court.

Maria Sakkari hasn't reached the second week of a Grand Slam since 2022

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