As much as Maria Sakkari takes care of her fitness, she is a foodie who has a great liking for fast food. Ahead of her first match at the 2023 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on Wednesday, April 19, the player jovially requested American food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill for a VIP card.
The ninth-ranked player will square off against former World No. 1 Karolína Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the first round of the WTA 500 tournament. This will be the seventh tour-level meeting between the two players, with the head-to-head record standing at 3-3.
The last time they clashed was at the 2023 BNP Paribas Open in March, with Sakkari winning in three sets.
The WTA recently shared a clip in which the Greek star can be seen requesting VIP treatment from Chipotle as a joke.
"Okay, can I also request something on camera? Maybe someone from Chipotle sees it. I want to get a VIP card please (laughs). That is my dream," Sakkari said.
Maria Sakkari reached the final in Indian Wells last year, where she lost to Iga Swiatek. During the tournament, the 27-year-old revealed that she loved cheeseburgers and that Cheesecake Factory was among her favorite food outlets in the US.
"I’m a huge fan of cheeseburgers," she said. "I think it’s my go-to meal, especially when I come to the States. In Greece, I would say we’re very good in food in general, but cheeseburgers are not our specialty. I rarely eat a burger when I’m back home actually. But there are very good things about American food, but then there are some that are very caloric."
"You go to Cheesecake Factory, a regular-size meal, it’s like 1,000 calories," she added. "And then you’re like, Oh, God, I have to practice more to earn this. I’m spoiled, yes, in a way because I grew up with very good ingredients and food. But at the same time I’m just enjoying something different here in the U.S. I’m strict with my nutrition."
Maria Sakkari's 2023 season so far
Maria Sakkari has a 15-7 win-loss record this year. At the 2023 Australian Open, she was downed by Lin Zhu in the third round.
Karolina Pliskova beat the Greek in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships before reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka stopped her in the semifinals in Indian Wells.
Sakkari fell early at the 2023 Miami Open when Bianca Andreescu fought back from a set down to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening round.
To date, the 2019 Morocco Open remains the only singles title in Sakkari's cabinet.