The tennis star involved in a high-profile spat at the weekend with the sport’s biggest brat has courted controversy before, it can be revealed.
Maria Sakkari and Yulia Putintseva clashed at the net at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany after the Greek player defeated the Russian-born Kazakh star in straight sets 7-5 7-6 in the third round of the competition.
Despite clearly simmering beneath their calm exteriors, they observed the usual show of respect by clasping hands over the net. However, spectators were then shocked after a back-and-forth row began, seemingly over the brief and loose handshake.
Wild card Sakkari appeared to be especially unhappy and was heard telling her opponent to act ‘like a human being’, to which Putintseva insisted she had.
But the hot-headed Kazakhstani then upped the stakes as she appeared to tell Sakkari to ‘go f***’ herself and to leave her alone, gesturing for her to move away. Sakkari could later be heard saying, ‘F****** hell, I’m what?’ She then clearly told Putintseva: ‘Nobody likes you!’
CONTENT WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
But Sakkari has been caught in rows in the past, including one in Montreal when she hit a ball into the crowd back in 2023, this time clashing with Danielle Collins.
She was quick to hold up a hand of apology to the spectators but Collins wasn’t willing to let the matter lie, asking the chair umpire: ‘Did you just see that? Did you see what happened?’
Sakkari, preparing for her second serve, replied: ‘It didn’t even hit anyone. It was on the ground.’ Collins duly responds: ‘Shut your mouth, shut your mouth.’
That only served to escalate the row, with Sakkari asking: ‘What’s your problem? I didn’t hit anyone. I framed the ball.’
Not willing to back down, Collins said: ‘You hit the ball into the stands, Maria. You almost hit someone.’
Eventually the umpire regained control of proceedings, and the two players did shake hands at the net, with Collins coming out on top.
She also crossed paths with British No 1 Emma Raducanu last year, and once again ended up with a little egg on her face.
Having warned the former US Open champion that she was now coming up against a top 10 player, and things might not go her way in their third round meeting at Wimbledon.
‘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.’
In response? A straight-sets victory inside 92 minutes for Raducanu, who dismantled the Greek star – and World No 9 – 6-2 6-3, saving seven break points, while Sakkari made 31 unforced errors.
In something of a more left-field brush with the spotlight, Sakkari was even spotted at Donald Trump’s inauguration gala earlier this year.
That’s because she is currently in a relationship with Konstantinos Mitsotakis, the son of Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was invited by Congressman Konstantinos Bilirakis, representative for Florida.
Mitsotakis, whose grandfather and great great great uncle were also Prime Ministers of the country, has been dating Sakkari since around 2020.
