In hindsight, there may not have been a better way to kick off the Hard-Court Swing than with a return to Athens for the first time in 36 years.
Fans showed up in force, and they were rewarded with a spirited run from one of their own. Maria Sakkari, the lone Greek player inside the Top 150 and the longtime standard-bearer for women’s tennis in the country, reached her first WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz final in more than two years.
She ultimately couldn’t one-up her mother, Angeliki Kanellopoulou, who reached the inaugural Athens final 40 years ago in 1986, but her run on home soil still produced one of the most memorable moments of 2026 so far.
Here’s everything that went down on the WTA Tour last week.
Star of the Week
Barbora Krejcikova
At various points throughout her decorated career, Barbora Krejcikova has seemed to have the cards stacked against her. Injuries, and plain rotten luck, has repeatedly stalled her momentum. That’s been especially true in the two years since she captured her second Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon in 2024.
In June, she appeared to be peaking again, reaching the final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. But she was forced to withdraw ahead of the championship match not due to illness, not injury.
Still, she persisted. She reached the Round of 16 at Wimbledon before falling to eventual runner-up Karolina Muchova in three sets, then transitioned seamlessly to hard courts with a run to the Athens final. Along the way, she earned her first win over Zheng Qinwen and outlasted No. 1 seed Clara Tauson in three sets.
The 30-year-old then broke Greek hearts with a comprehensive win over Sakkari in the final, and for that, she earns Star of the Week honors.
Breakthrough of the Week
Mayar Sherif
A case could easily be made for the week’s other tour-level champion, Mayar Sherif. The Egyptian won Iasi for her first tour-level title in four years, adding to an impressive haul of seven WTA 125s and two W100 titles in that span. She claimed the crown in dominant fashion, dropping just one set all week.
In the final, she led 6-4, 4-0 before Paula Badosa retired due to illness.
No matter how you slice it, the title counts the same, as do the ranking points. Following her triumph, Sherif jumped 42 spots from No. 97 to No. 55 in the PIF WTA Rankings this week, returning to the Top 60 for the first time since April 2025. She’s also riding a 10-match winning streak and has won 15 of her last 16 overall.
This wasn’t Sherif’s first breakthrough, but it certainly qualifies as her latest — and a reminder that she can hold her own against tour-level competition, especially on clay.
Best Moment of the Week
Maria Sakkari beats Alina Korneeva to reach Athens final
There were plenty of buzzy moments in Iasi — from Badosa’s return to form to Sherif’s dominance — but it’s impossible to overlook the significance of Athens long-awaited return and Sakkari’s inspired run in front of the home crowd.
While the final didn’t go her way, the path to it was a sight to behold. She didn’t drop a set in her first four matches, and her reaction after beating Alina Korneeva — another standout story — said it all. Matching her mother’s feat on home soil, on Centre Court, with the fans fully behind her, made for a moment that will resonate far beyond the week.
It was the latest display of quality tennis from Sakkari, something missing for much of the past two years. Now knocking on the door of a Top 30 return, there’s hope she can recapture the magic that once carried her into the sport’s upper echelon.
If she continues this upward trajectory, remember this week in Athens as the spark.
Match of the Week
Paula Badosa d. Tamara Zidansek 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), UniCredit Iasi Open Semifinals
It wasn’t Badosa’s longest match of the week — she needed just under three hours to reach the quarterfinals — but her 2-hour, 36-minute comeback win over Tamara Zidansek was the perfect springboard to her first tour-level final since 2024.
9th straight win sends Badosa into first WTA final since 2024 in Iasi
Point of the Week
Alina Korneeva flashes her quickness
Korneeva added plenty to her highlight reel during her run to the Athens semifinals. But the best of the bunch came against Sakkari, when she reeled off three spectacular gets before finishing the rally with a forehand lob winner into the opposite corner.
Korneeva flashes her quickness early in Athens semifinal matchup with Sakkari
Upsets of the Week
Tamara Zidansek defeats No. 7 seed Anna Bondar and No. 2 seed Petra Marcinko, UniCredit Iasi Open Semifinals
Zidansek entered Iasi ranked No. 148, far removed from her career-high ranking of No. 22. But reaching her first semifinal since Hua Hin in September 2024 marked a meaningful step forward. Her victory over Anna Bondar was impressive enough but following it with her first Top 50 win since beating Badosa in the 2021 Roland Garros quarterfinals — this time over Petra Marcinko — cemented her spot here.
Comeback of the Week
Panna Udvardy d. Katarzyna Kawa, UniCredit Iasi Open Round of 16
Panna Udvardy trailed 6-1, 3-0 against Katarzyna Kawa in the second round but clawed all the way back for a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory, completing the comeback in under two hours. With the win, she improved to 2-0 against the Pole in 2026.
Udvardy pulls off comeback from 6-1, 3-0 down to deny Kawa in Iasi
Quote of the Week
“It’s been a huge privilege to be here with you today at such a historic moment for you. I think playing in front of the home crowd is something very, very special, and I’m really pleased and happy that you could experience it.”
– Barbora Krejcikova on sharing the court with Sakkari in the Athens final