Emma Raducanu reaches semi-final of Washington Open
The victory, on a day where both players had to battle high temperatures, means Raducanu will overtake Katie Boulter as British number one on Monday.
After losing the opening game, Raducanu dropped serve in a long second game but managed to break straight back.
Raducanu broke again to make it 4-3 courtesy of a scuffed dropped-volley effort by Sakkari, who fought back once more following another double fault by the Briton.
After getting her nose in front again, Raducanu held her serve to take the opening set 6-4.
The 22-year-old was looking to continue her impressive streak over the Greek player on her 30th birthday but Sakkari – who beat Boulter earlier in the competition – took a 4-2 lead in the second set.
Temperatures of up to 36 degrees took their toll as a physio was called onto the court to check on the 2021 US Open winner.
However, the break in play reinvigorated Raducanu and she won five successive games to book her slot in the final four in two hours and 10 minutes.
'I think my confidence has been building since Miami,' she told the WTA.
'The amount of work I'm doing behind the scenes, to have that in the locker and banked, you know you've done it, it takes a little pressure off the results.
'I'm really pleased today, I think Maria played a really good match and I think these conditions suit the jumpiness of her game and I'm really happy that I toughed it out.'
Raducanu will face either Clara Tauson or Anna Kalinskaya for a place in the final.
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