After a strong season Maria Sakkari is highly motivated to qualify for her first WTA Finals ahead of her Indian Wells campaign.
The next 10 days are pretty big for those players who are aiming to be at the season-ending finals in Guadalajara in November.
At the moment Ash Barty, Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova and Karolina Pliskova have all booked their places with four more spots up for grabs.
The likes of Maria Sakkari, Garbine Muguruza, Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Emma Raducanu all looking to seal the remaining spots as this is the biggest tournament left on the regular season calendar.
Sakkari currently sits fifth in the rankings and is in the driving seat to reach the finals in Mexico, which would be her first WTA Finals of her career.
Speaking to reporters in Indian Wells Sakkari said it would be stupid and crazy not to be motivated to qualify at this point, “It would sound crazy and stupid if I said that I’m not motivated because I’m trying to achieve one of the biggest goals of my career for the first time,” Sakkari said about the WTA Finals.
“I’m more motivated than I was the first week of the year. It’s the end of the season. I know that other players are tired. I know that other players don’t have that goal. I know that with a couple of good results, I’m probably going to make it.
“It doesn’t put me in any stress, it doesn’t make me feel any pressure, but I know that I can make it and I see myself over there. So my motivation is pretty high and I’m feeling fresh.
“’I’m making clever decisions with practice and rest and everything in order for me to last until the middle of November. It feels great that we have that opportunity to be here and collect some points for the Finals.”
Having reached both Roland Garros and US Open semi-finals, losing to the eventual champions in both, Sakkari will look to seal a strong season by competing with the best players in the world.
Sakkari will have a tough opening match to start at Indian Wells when she faces Viktorija Golubic on Saturday.
A potential fourth round against fellow WTA Finals contender Ons Jabeur could be on the cards as she looks for a strong campaign in California in what is the final WTA1000 of the season.
