Collins took college route to pros
MELBOURNE, Australia – American Danielle Collins is a rarity in women’s tennis as her route to the WTA tour took her to college, where she was a two-time NCAA singles champion at Virginia.
Collins believes that college didn’t delay her success in the pro game as much as it helped her become the person, and player, she needed to be. “I think going to college helped me develop myself as a person,” she said. “I really know who I am, the type of person I am, what I want, what I want to do with my life, what I want to do with my tennis. For each their own. For me, I’m really happy with my decision.”
The 28-year-old did the Cavaliers proud Sunday when she pummeled second-seeded Angelique Kerber, a three-time Grand Slam tournament champion, 6-0, 6-2 in the fourth round of the Australian Open. The victory marks her third in eight matches played against a Grand Slam champion.
“I had a clear mind-set of what I was going to do,” Collins said. “From the very first point, I showed her that I wasn’t going to let her into the match, that I was going to dictate the entire way through.”
While both players executed 17 unforced errors in the 56minute match, Collins dominated with 29 winners to six for Kerber, who won her first major title here in 2016. While Collins predominantly relies on a power game, she can show flashes of touch as she did on match point with a beautiful forehand drop-shot winner.
“I think there is not too much to say,” Kerber said. “It was completely not my day. I think she played one of her best matches, to be honest.”
Collins experienced a breakout season last year, starting her rise when she reached the Miami Open semifinals as a qualifier. Collins later received her first main draw direct acceptance in a Grand Slam tournament at the French Open.
She played in the final three Grand Slams last year, and two additional US Opens in the past, and had never won a match in five attempts.
Collins, ranked No. 35, has now circumnavigated three seeds in the Australian Open. She upset No. 14 Julia Goerges of Germany in the first round and No. 19 Caroline Garcia of France in the third round.
Collins could’ve played fellow American and No. 5 seed Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals, but the 2017 US Open champion lost to Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-3.
Stephens struggled to find her range after winning the opening-set tiebreaker. She was in contention to become the No. 1 player in the world in this tournament, but she had to reach the quarterfinals to have a shot.