Greek star Maria Sakkari notched a series of wonderful victories at the Western & Southern Open in August, which garnered her your votes for the title of Breakthrough of the Month for August 2020.
World No.22 Sakkari started the week at the relocated Cincinnati tournament with an impressive straight-set win over rising phenom Coco Gauff, then followed up with a second-round triumph over always-dangerous Yulia Putintseva.
But it was her third-round match that Sakkari will remember most vividly, as she ousted 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in their first-ever WTA-level meeting to claim a signature victory.
In that clash, Sakkari had to fight back from a set and a break deficit before gritting out a second-set tiebreak to extend the encounter into a decider. Sakkari eventually clinched victory on her eighth match point after two hours and 17 minutes, overcoming Williams, whom she called "a role model for me growing up."
This week at the US Open, which, like the Western & Southern Open, is taking place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Sakkari has used her momentum to grind to her second round-of-16 showing at a major this year and in her career.
How it works:
Finalists are selected by wtatennis.com
Winner is then determined by a fan vote on wtatennis.com
Previous 2020 WTA Breakthroughs of the Month
January: Ons Jabeur
February: Renata Zarazua
