Maria Sakkari has continued her impressive run at the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha, Qatar. In the round of 16, she faced French player Barbora Gracheva, ranked No. 73 in the world, securing a victory with a score of 7-6 (7/3), 6-0. This win propels Sakkari into the quarterfinals, where she is likely to encounter Poland's Iga Swiatek, provided that Swiatek defeats Australia’s Daria Kasatkina in the same round.

The match showcased Sakkari's resilience as she initially fell behind, losing an early break and trailing 0-3 in the first set. However, demonstrating her competitive spirit, she fought back to equalize at 3-3. After falling behind again at 3-5 due to another break by Gracheva, Sakkari managed to break back, saving a set point at 4-5. She continued to battle, resulting in a tie-break where she established a strong lead, eventually winning it 7-3.

In the second set, Sakkari faced two break points in her opening game but managed to hold her serve, marking the end of Gracheva's challenge in the match. With this victory, Sakkari not only advances further in the tournament but also reinforces her status as a significant contender, particularly with a potential matchup against one of the top-ranked players, adding further excitement to her campaign in Doha.