By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday April 29, 2024
Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set down to end Danielle Collins' career-best winning streak in Madrid.
Photo Source: Getty
Riding a career-best 15-match winning streak, red-hot Danielle Collins ran into a serious obstacle on Monday at the Madrid Open: defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
No.2-ranked Sabalenka hasn’t been in throttling form over the last few months, but she’s as dangerous as they come in the fast-playing conditions in play in the Spanish capital, and dead-set on completing her title defense as well. Sabalenka dropped the opening set to 15th-ranked Collins in Monday’s final match at the Caja Magica, but rallied to make it three victories in succession for the first time since winning her second major title at this year’s Australian Open, claiming a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 triumph to set a quarterfinal clash with teen phenom Mirra Andreeva.
Andreeva, turned 17 on Tuesday, topped Jasmine Paolini, 7-6(2), 6-4.
Bidding to become just the second woman to earn three or more titles at Madrid along with Petra Kvitova, Sabalenka was sluggish in the opening set. She fell behind 3-0 before rallying to get back on serve, but ended up faltering in the 10th game as Collins broke her for 6-4.
Determined to reset the tone, Sabalenka impressively struck 17 winners in the middle set and saved a pair of break points to hold for 5-3, as she went on to force a decider.
In the third it was Collins who was sluggish, and the No.2 seed took advantage, racing out to a 3-0 lead. From there Collins was stronger, but she never earned a break point the rest of the way – Sabalenka won 14 of her final 18 points on serve to clinch her victory in two hours and 25 minutes.
Collins, this year’s Miami and Charleston champion, will receive a much needed break after amassing the best winning streak of her storied career.
She dropped to 24-8 on the season, and suffered her first loss since Indian Wells.
Sabalenka, who finished the match with 39 winners and just 20 unforced errors, will look to continue her quest for a 15th career title. She’ll also try to keep her ranking – Sabalenka needs to reach at least the final to remain at No.2 in the WTA rankings (Gauff would supplant her), which is an important bone of contention, given that it ultimately could allow her to avoid facing three-time champion Iga Swiatek before the final at Roland-Garros this year.
Sabalenka improved to 54-24 lifetime on clay with her win, and 15-3 at Madrid.
With her victory, the elite eight are set at Madrid – here is how the quarterfinals shape up: