Monday 9 August 2021

Collins has title #2 within a month

Final in San Jose.

2021 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic a WTA 500 tournament, on Hard, in San Jose, California, USA, 2-8 August 2021.
Event not held last year due to COVID-19.

2019 champion (not defending):
Zheng Saisai who defeated Aryna Sabalenka (2) 6-3 7-6(3)


Final:


Daria Kasatkina (4) (Russia) v Danielle Collins (7) (USA)


Before this final, the pair had only played each other once - second round of the 2018 Internazionali BNL D’Italia - with Kasatkina winning that battle in straight sets.

Kasatkina was aiming to win her fifth title from her ninth final, already having won two trophies this year - February in Melbourne and March in St Petersburg.

Collins made her first final, and claimed her first title, in Palermo last month.


In the opening set, Collins faced the only break point on offer through the first seven games, and she saved it.

At 3-4, Kasatkina stumbled, losing her serve to love, and Collins was happy to follow up with another love game to serve out the set 6-3.


Set two saw Collins break in the third game, and hold that edge until she led 5-3, where Kasatkina would be serving to stay alive in the match.

Down 15-40, the Russian saved two match points before holding serve, then breaking the American in the next game.

A tie break was eventually required.

Kasatkina won the first 4 points, but Collins fought back to trail 4-5 on serve. At 4-6 the seventh seed saved two set points, and at 7-6 Collins held a match point. This was saved, as were another two match points at 8-7 and 10-9. In between, Kasatkina failed to convert a set point at 9-8.

Finally, Kasatkina converted a set point at 11-10, and she had squared the match at 3-6 7-6(10).


In the decider, Collins dropped her serve in game three, but she needn’t have worried, as Kasatkina lost her first three service games, the second and third both to love. This left Collins serving for the match at 5-1.

The American raced to 40-0 and three match points. The match was over on the second of these.


Danielle Collins won the day 6-3 6-7(10) 6-1.


Title number two from two finals for Collins, both within the last month, and helping her move back into the top 30.

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