Maria Sakkari Defeats Ashlyn Krueger in Brutal 3-Hour Beijing Marathon That Left Fans Exhausted

Let’s be honest here—when a tennis match stretches past the three-hour mark, you start wondering if someone forgot to tell the players this isn’t the Australian Open final. Maria Sakkari and Ashlyn Krueger decided to give Beijing spectators their money’s worth (and then some) in what can only be described as a grueling war of attrition that lasted three hours and 29 minutes.

This wasn’t just any first-round slog, either. We’re talking about the third-longest tour-level match of 2025, which honestly says more about the state of modern tennis than we’d probably like to admit. Remember when matches used to end in reasonable time frames? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

Sakkari’s Rollercoaster Performance Against Krueger

The Greek veteran started strong, racing to a commanding 5-2 lead in the opening set. For a brief, shining moment, it looked like this might be a straightforward affair. How naive we were. Sakkari needed – and I cannot stress this enough – four set points to finally close out the tiebreak. Four. If that doesn’t scream “this is going to be a long day,” nothing does.

The second set was where things got truly ridiculous. Sakkari found herself just two points away from victory while serving at 5-4. Two measly points separated her from a nice, clean straight-sets win and maybe catching the evening news. But Krueger had other plans, forcing another tiebreak that Sakkari somehow managed to lose despite being in the driver’s seat.

The American’s Valiant but Ultimately Futile Effort

Credit where credit’s due – Krueger wasn’t just along for the ride in this tennis marathon. The American pushed Sakkari to the absolute brink, forcing a deciding third set that honestly nobody in the stadium probably wanted at that point. She even managed to take a 4-2 lead in the final set, which must have felt like climbing Mount Everest only to discover there’s another peak waiting.

But here’s the thing about these epic battles: someone has to lose, and unfortunately for Krueger, that someone was her. Sakkari clawed her way back from that 4-2 deficit like a woman possessed, perhaps motivated by the thought of finally getting off that court before midnight.

What This Beijing Epic Means for Both Players

For Sakkari, this victory represents both triumph and concern. Sure, she advanced to the second round, but at what cost? Playing a nearly three-and-a-half-hour match in the first round is like sprinting the first mile of a marathon – technically impressive, but probably not the smartest strategy for long-term success.

The Greek player has been known for her fighting spirit throughout her career, but there’s fighting spirit and then there’s whatever this was. When you need four set points to close out a set you’re dominating 5-2, you might want to work on your killer instinct in practice.

As for Krueger, this has to sting more than a little. Coming that close to defeating a seeded player in such a high-profile match only to fall short in the deciding set is the kind of loss that haunts players. But hey, at least she can say she participated in tennis history – even if it’s the kind of history that makes people question the sport’s pacing.

The Bigger Picture: Modern Tennis and Its Endurance Problem

This Beijing marathon raises some interesting questions about where professional tennis is headed. When first-round matches are routinely stretching past the three-hour mark, maybe it’s time to have a conversation about match formats or court speeds or something – anything – to bring some sanity back to scheduling.

Tournament organizers can’t be thrilled when their carefully planned day sessions turn into evening affairs because two players decided to recreate the Battle of Thermopylae on a tennis court. And let’s spare a thought for the poor fans who probably missed dinner, bedtime stories with the kids, and quite possibly their will to live during this epic.

The fact that this ranks as only the third-longest match of 2025 should be deeply concerning to everyone involved in professional tennis. What exactly were the first two matches – reenactments of the Hundred Years’ War?

At least Sakkari can move forward in the tournament, presumably with some extra recovery time built into her schedule. As for the rest of us, we’ll just have to hope her next match doesn’t require a sleeping bag and provisions for an overnight stay.