Sakkari's experience and improving form give her the edge as she looks to book her place in the Athens final.
Sakkari Eyes Her First Final Since 2024
- Maria Sakkari is looking to reach her first tour-level final since 2024.
- She has a 10–7 record against players outside the Top 100 in 2026.
- Alina Korneeva is 0–1 in tour-level semifinals.
- She has a 3–2 career record against Top 50 players.
HTH
This will be their first meeting.
Sakkari Looks to End Semifinal Struggles
Maria Sakkari moved into the semifinals after defeating Alycia Parks in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. She dropped serve once and converted four of the seven break-point opportunities she created.
This is Sakkari's second tour-level semifinal of the season. She previously reached the last four in Doha in February, where she lost to Karolina Muchova in three sets. With the draw opening up, she has a good opportunity to reach another final this week.
The Greek struggled for consistency during the early part of the season. Before this week, she had managed multiple main-draw wins at only two tournaments, reaching the third round at both the French Open and Wimbledon.
Sakkari owns a 10-27 record in WTA tour-level semifinals. She has lost nine of her last 12 matches at this stage, with her most recent final coming at Indian Wells in 2024.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece |
| Age | 30 (Born 25 July 1995) |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | 37 |
| Career High | 3 (21 March 2022) |
| Elo Ranking | 47 (Rating: 1812) |
| Tour-Level Titles | 2 |
Korneeva Eyes Maiden WTA Final
Alina Korneeva defeated fellow rising star Tereza Valentova in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, to reach the semifinals in Athens. She trailed by a break in both sets before producing impressive comebacks to close out the match.
Korneeva will be pleased with this result after a disappointing run in recent months, following an excellent start to the season that included four semifinal-or-better finishes on the lower-level circuit.
This is only the second tour-level semifinal of her career. Her previous appearance at this stage came in Merida in 2024, where she lost to Zeynep Sonmez in straight sets.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Russia |
| Age | 19 (Born 23 June 2007) |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | 90 |
| Career High | 90 (13 July 2026) |
| Elo Ranking | 82 (Rating: 1743) |
| Tour-Level Titles | 0 |