Airport troubles can happen to anyone, even a former World No. 3 tennis player. Maria Sakkari discovered this the hard way after her elimination from the National Bank Open in Montreal, Canada. What should have been a routine departure turned into an unexpected headache involving missing luggage and social media pleas for help.
What Happened to Maria Sakkari While Exiting Canada After Montreal Defeat?
Sakkari, 30, took to Instagram to issue a plea for help from Canadian authorities after her luggage got stuck at the Montréal–Trudeau International Airport.
“My suitcase is stuck at YUL (Montreal-Trudeau),” she wrote in an Instagram story. “Is there anyone who works at the airport who can help track it down?” Sakkari also tagged ‘Air Canada’ in the post, which is presumably the airline she was flying with.
The luggage situation developed hours after Sakkari was ousted from the Canadian Open in Montreal by No. 3 seed and two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula. The American converted all five break points, registering a 7-5, 6-4 win over her Greek rival. Sakkari’s exit from the Montreal tournament adds to a string of early-round eliminations this season for the Greek star.
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Pegula became the first woman to win 11 consecutive matches at the event since Serena Williams won 14 matches in a row between 2011 and 2014.
Before her defeat to Pegula, Sakkari had overcome a challenging first-round match against Canadian wildcard entrant Carson Branstine. The Greek eventually prevailed 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, showing the kind of fight that got her to No. 3 in the world rankings.
Sakkari Remains Optimistic Despite Struggling With Injuries and Form
Sakkari suffered a shoulder injury at the US Open in 2024, which marked a turning point in her career. After retiring from her opening-round match against Wang Yafan in New York, she announced the end of her season to focus on recovery.
The Greek’s comeback in 2025 has proved to be difficult. Although she made the quarterfinals in Linz and reached the fourth round in Madrid, her form remained inconsistent.
After a series of lacklustre results, Sakkari’s ranking plummeted outside the top 75. She fell in the first rounds of both the Australian Open and the French Open, losses that highlighted just how far she’d fallen from her peak form.
Her Wimbledon campaign offered a brief glimpse of hope. She managed to win her first-round match against Anna Blinkova, but was eliminated in the second round by former champion Elena Rybakina.
Despite these setbacks, the Greek remains optimistic about her comeback journey. “I believe a lot in my abilities,” Sakkari told ‘Punto de Break’ earlier this year.
She continued, “I’m convinced I can return to where I was, I just need time. I’ve experienced the first injury of my career, I’ve always been healthy, so these past months have brought new experiences.”
Sakkari has insisted that she is “happier” after the break from competition. “I feel happier now than before the break,” the Greek has said. “Now, having been away for a few months, I’ve realized everything I’ve accomplished in my career, so I’m going to work to return to that place. Even if it takes time, it’s okay, I believe a lot in the process.”