Photo credit: Credit One Charleston Open
Clay-court tennis can be a proving ground.
Danielle Collins proved to be a high volume shotmaker in Strasbourg today.
Amping up the pace of her drives and amplifying her shouts, Collins rallied past Emma Raducanu 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 into her second straight Strasbourg quarterfinal.
A ferocious Collins turned up the intensity roaring through 12 of the final 13 points for her second quarterfinal of the season.
Overall, Collins cracked 10 aces and saved eight of the 10 break points she faced, including seven of eight break points in the final set.
It is Collins’ second consecutive victory over a former Grand Slam champion. Collins defeated Sofia Kenin 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 in the round of 32.
The 2024 Charleston champion Collins will face either top-seeded compatriot Jessica Pegula or dangerous Anna Kalinskaya for a semifinal spot.
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Collins joins compatriot Emma Navarro in the Strasbourg final eight.
Earlier, Navarro cruised through 10 of the last 11 games bursting by Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-1.
The second-seeded Navarro will face Brazilian left-hander Beatriz Haddad Maia for a place in the final four.
No. 9-seeded Haddad Maia converted five of 10 break point chances in a 7-6(3), 6-3 victory over American Ashlyn Krueger Wild card Raducanu came out moving fluidly and striking with confidence. Driving some returns deep through the center of the court right back at Collins’ feet, Raducanu broke for a 3-2 lead in the opener.
The former US Open champion was hitting her forehand with confidence as she served out the set at love.
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Turning the tables in the second set set, Collins cranked a forehand return winner down the line breaking with a bang for 2-0.
Dialing in her drives, Collins was accelerating through her forehand with aggression as she unleashed a barrage of forehands to break at 15 for a 4-0 double break lead.
Despite bumping a drop shot from on top of the net into the net, Collins bounced back banging an ace out wide for a 5-0 lead.
After that game, Raducanu, whose movement diminished during the second set, left the court for some treatment. Raducanu returned to hold serve and stop her slide at five games.
Unofficial coach and Tennis Channel analyst Mark Petchey told Raducanu to move closer to the baseline when returning second serve.
Collins did not give the Briton a chance to put that tactic into practice. Collins pumped two aces in a row sparking a love hold to serve out the second set and force a decider after one hour, 23 minutes.
Digging in with defiance, Collins was fist-pumping and exhorting herself as she denied four break points during a grueling fourth game. Firing an ace, Collins erased a fourth break point. Moving backward, the 2024 Miami Open champion flicked a forehand winner capping an arduous 10-minute hold for 2-all.
Empowered by that stand, Collins tomahawked a forehand that helped hear gain double break point in the fifth game. When Raducanu netted a backhand, Collins broke for 3-2 with a fist pump and a “Yeah, right here!”
Shaking that off, Raducanu rapped a series of sharp forehand returns to break back and level in the sixth game.
That was Raducanu’s real final stand.
A fired up Collins broke back at love for 4-3 then rampaged through eight of the next nine points to close in two hours, 20 minutes.