“It has been a tough time, but at the same time, it was also very nice to have some time off,” Maria Sakkari said last month. The Greek star was out of action for almost five months after giving a walkover in her first-round match against Wang Yafan (CHN) at the 2024 US Open. Her time away meant she dropped to number 82 in the world rankings as well. Since her return, Sakkari has been struggling to find momentum, with her best record in this season being a QF appearance in the Linz Open. But in Madrid, she has really got off to a “strong” start! With her victory against Jasmine Paolini in R32, the 29-year-old ended a string of futility against the Top 10 players (0-8), going back to the 2024 BNP Paribas Open. But wait a minute! More than her victory, her jaw-dropping physique has now become the talk of the town.

Maria Sakkari stunned Jasmine Paolini (6) by delivering a commanding victory (6-2,6-1) in the R32 of the Madrid Open on Sunday, April 27. Speaking post-match, Sakkari said, “I was clear on what I had to do on the court. Just went out and executed it perfectly. I didn’t give her any room to breathe. That was my goal — that is the goal against the very good players. I think it was pretty good, I have to say.” With this victory, she has now entered her first R16 at a WTA 1000 event since last year’s Italian Open.

“It feels pretty good because it’s been a while since I had, let’s call it a statement win for myself. It wasn’t easy all this time. But at the same time, I knew that I had to trust, as we say, the process. Trusting that it’s going to come. It’s a good step forward, and I want to stay humble with my expectations. I feel like the pieces are coming together. Still a long way to go, though,” the Greek further added.

With this victory, Sakkari is now all set to take on the former world number 3, Elina Svitolina, in the R16 of the Madrid Open. Can she make it through to the QF in the Spanish capital? Time will tell! But recently, an image of her has attracted plenty of attention on social media, and fans are literally in awe of her incredible transformation!

Does Maria Sakkari have one of the most ripped physiques on the women’s tour? Well, this has become a talking point. Sakkari is no stranger to the gym, and she often shares glimpses of her grueling workouts on social media. Now, seeing her muscular physique, fans are reacting in numbers. What are they saying, though?

Fans are in awe of Maria Sakkari’s muscular picture

Maria Sakkari has become increasingly muscular since 2016. Her workout sessions include box jumps, medicine ball exercises, and kinetic squats with weight. Previously, while talking about her fondness for gym sessions, she revealed, “I think it’s my working spirit, and it’s actually one thing I like. I like to spend time in the gym, just to feel like I’m actually working really hard. That gives me a lot of confidence. Whenever I feel good with my body, then I know that I can play well and I can actually compete the right way.“

Continuing further, she added, “The gym is probably one of my hobbies…it’s something I really enjoy. I hate running long distances, but I really like lifting sprints…I basically like everything except long-distance running. I know I’ve worked out a lot, so I can spend a lot of time on the court. When the match goes into three sets, or over three hours, I know that I have an advantage over some other players.”

After her jaw-dropping picture surfaced on social media, a fan wrote, “Holy sh*t Maria is ripped omg.” Not only Sakkari, but another WTA star, Aryna Sabalenka’s incredible physique has also been a talking point among the fans. What’s the secret to Sabalenka’s strong physique? A similar intense workout session like Sakkari? Well, according to Sabalenka, “My genetics is so good, thanks to my parents, because I gained weight so quickly. For two weeks, we were doing some weights, and not the heaviest weights. And after two weeks, I was plus five kilos.”

Emphasizing how much effort these players put in the gym, another fan wrote, “Man, you can clearly see these women put their life on the line for the sport…just look at all that energy 👍.”

The American icon Serena Williams was also known for her strong and muscular physique, a result of her rigorous training regimen and dedication to her sport in her playing days. Highlighting these transitions in women’s tennis over the years, a netizen further praised Sakkari and female tennis players in general. “Her biceps are amazing. Tennis doesn’t really require much power, but the women’s side has become more focused on flat power, so maybe that’s just how it is…” the fan wrote.

In 2021, Mari Sakkari highlighted how happy she feels after her workouts. “It’s something that not only makes my body feel nice but also my soul. I feel very good both during and after a workout, which is the most important thing,” she said. Well, the result of working out intensely is clearly visible. Another fan, stunned by her physique, hailed Sakkari as the “Most jacked lady on tour.”

One of the fans went a step further and compared Sakkari to the WWE legend Hulk Hogan! “She has bigger arms than Hulk Hogan.” Well! Sakkari actually shared her intense workout routine on IG once, with the caption, “Tag someone who you know would crush this workout.” Responding to that, Croatian tennis star Donna Vekic had tagged Superman.

Sakkari’s impressive physique has always managed to turn heads in the tennis world. Another fan chimed in, “Looks like she found the weight room too,” suggesting that Sakkari is spending a lot of time doing strength training.

Coming back to Sakkari’s game, she will be up against Elina Svitolina next, after a dominating performance against Paolini. Can she put on another clinical performance against the Ukrainian? The H2H between these two players is leveled 2-2. Who’s your pick for this match?