Maria Sakkari kept Greek hopes alive at Roland Garros with a hard-fought comeback victory to reach the third round of the French Open, while Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered another disappointing early exit in Paris. The contrasting results extended a mixed spell for the Greek pair at the Grand Slam, with Sakkari showing resilience and Tsitsipas unable to find the consistency needed to advance.
Sakkari recovered after losing a tight opening set to American Claire Liu, then lifted her level to claim a 6(7)-7(9), 6-3, 6-3 win. The Greek player, who is the highest-ranked member of her nation in the tournament, was more efficient on serve and imposed herself more strongly as the match progressed. She produced six aces, while Liu did not register one, and she landed 73 percent of her first serves. That control proved decisive in the longer exchanges and during the key stages of the match.
The 28-year-old also made the most of her chances on return, converting five of eight break points and saving six of the eight break points she faced. After edging the first-set tiebreak in Sakkari’s favor, Liu was unable to sustain the early pressure as the Greek player took control in the second and third sets. The result sends Sakkari into the third round, where she will continue her bid for a strong run in Paris.
Tsitsipas, by contrast, was unable to avoid another setback in a major tournament. The former French Open finalist, who reached the championship match in 2021, lost his second-round match to Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in four sets, 7(7)-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. After a competitive start, Tsitsipas faded as Arnaldi grew in confidence and began to dominate from the baseline.
Arnaldi was the more consistent and productive player across the match, finishing with 46 winners and only 28 unforced errors. He also won 77 percent of points behind his first serve, a figure that underlined his control on serve and his ability to dictate the rhythm of the contest. Tsitsipas struggled to match that level and could not sustain his challenge after taking the second set.
The defeat adds to a run of early exits at Grand Slams for Tsitsipas, raising questions about his form and momentum on the biggest stages. For now, the Greek men’s singles challenge in Paris has ended sooner than expected, while Sakkari remains in the draw and carries the Greek flag forward at Roland Garros.
