Danielle Collins’ farewell tour has reached its peak at the Miami Open, where the American has stormed into her first WTA 1000 final. Collins’ impressive run continued with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova, setting up a championship clash with 2023 finalist Elena Rybakina.
Collins’ announcement that 2024 would be her final season has been followed by some of her best tennis. The unseeded American has dismissed three seeds en route to the semis, including former world No. 4 Caroline Garcia. Against Alexandrova, Collins’ unyielding determination and tactical brilliance proved too much for the Russian.
Alexandrova, who had stunned world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and No. 5 seed Jessica Pegula, was unable to match Collins’ consistency and precision. Collins broke serve twice in the opening set, forcing Alexandrova into errors. The second set was even more one-sided, as Collins opened with another break and powered to victory with a total of 21 winners to 17 unforced errors.
Collins’ victory marks her biggest final since the 2022 Australian Open, where she finished runner-up to Ashleigh Barty. She will now face No. 4 seed Rybakina, who leads their head-to-head record 3-1. Collins’ lone win over the Kazakh came in their first meeting in San Jose in 2021.
Collins’ success in Miami is a testament to her resilience and determination. Despite announcing her retirement, she has played with renewed vigor and focus. Her ability to overcome adversity and perform at her best under pressure is a testament to her character and unwavering spirit.
