Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas have won their second mixed doubles match at the United Cup after beating Kirsten Flipkens and Michael Geerts. Sakkari and Tsitsipas, who are representing Greece, defeated Belgium’s Flipkens and Geerts 6-3 6-2.
Following their mixed doubles win, Greece capped off a dominant 4-1 victory over Belgium. A few days earlier, Sakkari and Tsitsipas also defeated Bulgaria’s Gergana Topalova and Adrian Andreev. Sakkari and Tsitsipas have been delivering for Greece so far and their nation has been through to the Perth City Finals, where they will be meeting either France and Croatia.
How Sakkari, Tsitsipas defeated Flipkens, Geerts
The first break points of the match were seen in the third game, when Sakkari and Tsitsipas saved a break point to avoid going down by an early break. After saving an early break point, Sakkari and Tsitsipas earned the first break of the match in the eighth game to open a 5-3 lead.
In the ninth game, Sakkari and Tsitsipas served out for the first set after converting their third set point. Up by a set, Sakkari and Tsitsipas broke Flipkens and Geerts in the third game of the second set to open a very comfortable lead.
In the seventh game, Sakkari and Tsitsipas earned their second break of the set to open a 5-2 lead. Sakkari and Tsitsipas then routinely served out for the match in the following game. Earlier in the tie, Tsitsipas defeated David Goffin while Sakkari ousted Elise Mertens.
Greece has two top-10 players representing them and they are clearly one of the best teams at the inaugural United Cup. Sakkari and Tsitsipas have helped Greece make it past the group stage and certainly they won’t stop there.
Considering how Sakkari and Tsitsipas have been playing for Greece so far, it may be fair to think that Greece is now the top favorite to win the title.
