MURRAY SETS HIS SIGHTS ON WIMBLEDON
Qualifier Collins sends heavyweight crashing out of quarters
Miami, March 29: Danielle Collins produced the performance of a lifetime and pulled off an almighty shock at the WTA Miami Open on Wednesday, sending Venus Williams crashing out 6- 2, 6- 3 to reach the semi- finals.
It was an amazing effort from a 24 year- old qualifier in just her second season as a professional and her debut appearance at Key Biscayne.
This was the first time in two attempts Collins has beaten a top 10 player, and even the crestfallen world number eight Williams would find it impossible to admit Collins didn’t deserve to seal a meeting with French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko on Thursday for a place in Saturday’s final.
Collins was simply delighted with the win over a player she idolised. “The first time I saw Venus in the locker room I nearly cried,” Collins said.
“She has been my favourite player so I am finding it difficult to wrap my head around this. All young American girls look up to Serena and Venus. I can relate to them and their upbringing. I didn’t come from a wealthy family so didn’t start playing at the country club as a kid,” she added.
“Playing on public courts helped give me a different perspective. It makes you grow up and even at a young age I was pretty mature,” Collins said.
The previously unheralded Collins, a Florida native who ended 2017 ranked 167th but came into this tournament as the 93rd best player in the world, is certainly having a March to remember.
As a wildcard she reached the Round of 16 in Indian Wells and has gone far better here with a fantastic run to the last four having come through qualifying.
That eclipsed the previous best result by a qualifier, when Marion Bartoli made the last eight in 2003.
Women’s quarter- finals: Danielle Collins ( USA) bt Venus Williams ( USA x8) 62, 6- 3; Jelena Ostapenko ( LAT x6) bt Elina Svitolina ( UKR x4) 7- 6 ( 7/ 3), 7- 6 ( 7/ 5).
Men’s quarter- finals: John Isner ( USA x14) bt Chung Hyeon ( KOR x19) 6- 1, 6- 4; Juan Martin del Potro ( ARG x5) bt Milos Raonic ( CAN x20) 5- 7, 7- 6 ( 7/ 1), 7- 6 ( 7/ 3). London, March 29: Andy Murray has agreed to play at the June grass- court tournament in Rosmalen in The Netherlands, as the former world number one steps up his bid to fully recover from hip surgery in time for Wimbledon.
The Scot has not played a competitive match since losing to Sam Querrey in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last July and underwent an operation on the hip at the start of the year after rest and recuperation failed to resolve the issue.
“The two- time Wimbledon champion will continue his comeback from injury on the grass courts of Rosmalen in the Netherlands,” the organisers of the June 1117 tournament said in a statement on Thursday.
Murray, who has not played in the Netherlands since reaching the quarterfinals of the Rotterdam Open in 2015, posted pictures of himself playing in Nice this week in an encouraging sign that he is working his way back to full fitness.
“I am looking forward to getting back on the grass and to play Rosmalen for the first time. I’ve heard lots of good things about the tournament and the courts are meant to be very good — it’s the perfect way for me to prepare for Wimbledon,” the 30year- old said.