Maria Sakkari prides herself on being an open book. Whether elation or anguish, the 28-year-old Greek star lets you know precisely what's going on inside her. She wants you to know she has insecurity and self-belief roiling within her, both in equal measure. 

Which is why Sakkari has been the perfect subject over the first two seasons of Netflix's "Break Point." She was introduced in Season 1 as the earnest striver chasing her first big title. That quest continues in Season 2, as the spotlight turns to her and Jessica Pegula in Episode 5. 

"I think that the combination of myself and Jess was very accurate because we're more or less the same age, similar career paths because we came in quite late, we weren't amazing juniors," Sakkari said. "It was spot on in a lot of things." 

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On Sunday, Sakkari enjoyed an efficient start to her 2024 Australian Open campaign, defeating Nao Hibino 6-4, 6-1. Sakkari needed just 71 minutes to notch the win and is now 2-0 against Hibino (4-0 in sets) as she repeated her 2020 Australian Open victory over the Japanese player.

Sakkari, who went 3-0 in singles at the season-opening United Cup, has won her first four matches of the year for the first time since 2021. Additionally, the Greek is back to winning ways at a Grand Slam event, having lost in the first round at each of the last three majors in 2023.

Sakkari is bidding to better her 2023 trip to Melbourne, which ended in a surprising third-round exit to China's Zhu Lin, which was captured by the cameras in Season 2 of 'Break Point'. Sakkari will next face Elina Avanesyan in the second round, which will be their first meeting. Avanesyan took down Bai Zhuoxuan in three sets on Sunday. 

Sakkari is one of two Hologic WTA Tour players to be featured in both seasons, along with Aryna Sabalenka. The first season brought insight into Sakkari but, ultimately, no resolution. By season's end, she was still chasing that big title, after getting pipped in the end by Jessica Pegula in the Guadalajara final. 

But her season-saving finish to the year, which included a strong run to the semifinals at the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, gave reason for optimism in 2023. As it would turn out, Sakkari experienced lower lows and higher highs last season. Through it all, she still finished the year in the Top 10 and qualified for her third consecutive WTA Finals. 

Sakkari says there was no hesitation to let the Netflix cameras trail her once again. Because if you work as hard as she has throughout her career you have nothing to hide. You also have no regrets. 

Well, maybe one regret. 

"I was a little concerned with how the episode ended because it was not very ladylike to say the F-word," Sakkari said. "But for what they were asking me, it was very natural. 

"I really hope I don't come across like someone who likes to curse."

But the cheeky moment made perfect sense given the context of the episode, which shows the parallels between Pegula and Sakkari's careers. It picks up where it left off, with Sakkari still chasing her first title since 2019. 

For every step back there is a step or two forward, a perspective that tennis players can easily forget given the nonstop pace of the tour. Progress can be invisible to the naked eye, which is why Sakkari welcomed it all being caught on film. 

"It was a lot easier, because we were used to it," Sakkari said. "Most of the time we had the same people. They basically become your friends because you spend a good amount of time with them. We're very honest with them."

If you followed the 2023 WTA season then you how Sakkari's two-year mission ultimately panned out. There were plenty of roadblocks along the way -- some self-imposed -- but Sakkari is proud to have it all memorialized for the world to see. 

"It's very nice for people to know what we go through and how hard our life is, emotionally," Sakkari said. "Of course playing tennis is a nice thing, it's not hard, but it's a very demanding sport. 

"Watching it yourself, it just reminds you of the good parts of your career and the bad parts of your career. You just have to embrace it."