Greece Reclaims United Cup Spotlight in Perth Thriller
Maria Sakkari’s long-awaited triumph over Emma Raducanu, paired with Stefanos Tsitsipas’s gritty comeback, propels Greece into the quarterfinals for the first time since 2024, igniting national hopes on Perth’s hard courts.
In the charged atmosphere of RAC Arena, Greece surged into the United Cup quarterfinals with a commanding Group E victory over Great Britain, their first knockout berth since 2024. Maria Sakkari’s three-set dissection of Emma Raducanu sealed the tie, building on Stefanos Tsitsipas’s hard-fought opener against Billy Harris. The Perth hard courts, with their medium pace and true bounce, amplified the Greeks’ aggressive baselines, turning individual resolve into team momentum amid roaring crowd support.
“Emma, I’ve had four tough losses against her so to get that first win against her, against a great opponent, it means a lot, especially delivering for Team Greece,” Sakkari said on-court.
Sakkari flips script on familiar foe
Sakkari, the World No. 52, arrived with a perfect 2-0 singles start to the season after routing Naomi Osaka on January 2, but her 0-4 history against Raducanu loomed large. The Briton, who vaulted to No. 29 in 2025 from outside the top 60, seized an early 2-0 lead with a break in the opening game, capitalizing on Sakkari’s long forehands. Yet the Greek reset quickly, claiming six of the next seven games to pocket the first set 6-4, capped by a backhand half-volley pass that electrified her bench.
Raducanu, in her 2026 debut after skipping the Japan tie, found rhythm in the second set, breaking back for a 2-1 edge before Sakkari responded—only for the Briton to reel off five of the last six games and level at one set apiece. Sakkari’s heavy topspin forehands, looped inside-out to stretch Raducanu’s defenses, began dictating longer rallies on the surface’s consistent bounce. The turning point arrived in the third set’s fourth game, where Sakkari broke after Raducanu saved eight of 11 break points overall, then held to lead 4-1 and closed with a 6-1 breadstick.
This breakthrough wasn’t just statistical; it reflected Sakkari’s preseason tweaks, blending slice backhands with crosscourt winners to disrupt Raducanu’s flat pace. Coming off a challenging 2025, she entered with low expectations but delivered the patterns she’d honed, her serve holding firm under team pressure. As the Greek fans’ chants swelled, Sakkari’s poise hinted at a deeper run, her inside-out angles now a weapon against baseline scramblers.
Tsitsipas grinds out backhand redemption
Tsitsipas, ranked No. 36 in the PIF ATP Rankings, gave Greece the 1-0 lead with a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) battle against Harris, enduring two hours and 15 minutes of probing intensity. The 27-year-old’s backhand faltered early on the hard court’s lively bounce, gifting the first set after unforced errors piled up. He shifted gears in the second, leaning on a one-two pattern—deep serves followed by inside-in forehands—that overwhelmed Harris and forced a decider.
The third set locked into a tiebreak, where Tsitsipas steadied amid backhand wobbles, sealing it 7-4 with a down-the-line forehand that grazed the line. This marked his first consecutive wins since reaching Barcelona’s quarterfinals last April, elevating his United Cup singles record to 8-2 after topping Shintaro Mochizuki in the Japan opener. Harris, pushing with high-quality returns, tested the Greek’s limits, but Tsitsipas’s forehand barrages and nerve in clutch moments turned the tide.
“I got fed up losing matches like that last year,” Tsitsipas said on-court. “I lost one in September and I just tried everything in my power to not have the same thing happen again. I am grateful to overcome that. It had a crazy energy out here.” His performance, fueled by the arena’s electric vibe, channeled 2025 frustrations into focused aggression, setting a resilient tone for Sakkari.
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Quarterfinals demand sustained fire
Great Britain’s tie against Japan had stayed alive thanks to Katie Swan’s valiant stand against Osaka, falling 6-7(4), 1-6 in her first tour-level main draw since Wimbledon 2023, but the singles sweep ended their hopes—though the mixed doubles remains a formality for Perth’s last quarterfinal spot. Sakkari reflected on her surge: “It doesn’t get any better. Especially after the season I had last year, I came into this tournament with low expectations after a great preseason, but at the same time, I just felt ‘Let’s see what I can do. Let’s see how I can deliver the things that I worked on.'”
The duo’s tactical evolutions—Sakkari’s spin variations and Tsitsipas’s serve-forehand reliance—suited the Perth surface, where quick adjustments neutralized opponents’ speed. With Greece’s advancement reviving past knockout memories, the pressure now tests their blended mental edge against tougher fields. As RAC Arena’s echoes fade, Sakkari and Tsitsipas carry this forged unity forward, poised to extend their revival in the mixed-team fray.
