Maria Sakkari

Sakkari, a 24-year-old from Greece, has grown into a more consistent performer this year by improving her second serve and tempering her powerful groundstrokes with more topspin and margin. In her first years on tour, Sakkari played with unbridled power, hitting the ball flat and hard and close to the lines. Under the tutelage of Mark Petchey, who coached Andy Murray when he first came on tour, Sakkari has learned to stop beating herself. Her unforced errors, once her chief liability, have decreased as she has learned to play high percentage tennis, using her strength to hit a heavy ball that wears down opponents. She scored two top-10 wins in Ohio last week, defeating Petra Kvitova and Aryna Sabalenka before losing to Ashleigh Barty in three sets. Like Barty, Sakkari has an excellent kick serve that pulls her opponent out of position. Sakkari is seeded 30th at the Open, and with her superb conditioning and physical style, she will be a tough out.