Danielle Collins and Madison Keys to battle for the WTA 500 Internationaux de Strasbourg title

The semifinals at the WTA 500 Internationaux de Strasbourg have concluded, with Danielle Collins (No. 12) and Madison Keys (No. 16) set to battle for the title on Saturday, May 25. The first match of the morning saw Anhelina Kalinina (No. 56) defeat the top seed Marketa Vondrousova (No. 7) in the conclusion of the quarterfinals.

In the second match, Madison Keys defeated Ludmila Samsonova 6-1, 6-3, achieving her 10th win in her last 12 matches. Later, Collins secured a hard-fought victory over Kalinina. This will be the first time an American claims the title since Jennifer Capriati in 1999.

Collins Continues Her Streak

Danielle Collins has won 22 of her last 24 matches since the Miami Open and shows no signs of slowing down. The American has already secured her return to the top 10 after two years and is the favorite in her third final in the last two months (titles in Miami and Charleston).

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Collins quickly took the lead by winning the first three games of the match consecutively, and it seemed Kalinina was physically drained after her 2-hour 37-minute match against Vondrousova earlier. However, the Ukrainian managed to close the gap, breaking Collins twice to lead 4-3.

After Kalinina’s comeback, Collins showed frustration with her opponent's play and even argued with the chair umpire. The set was decided in a tie-break where, despite Kalinina starting strong, Collins's powerful forehand secured her a 7-6(5) victory.

In the second set, Kalinina couldn’t match her first-set performance. Collins dominated, winning 73% of points on her first serve and 75% on her second. Collins broke Kalinina’s serve in the third and seventh games, while Kalinina struggled to break Collins’s strong serve. The former Australian Open finalist won 7-6(4), 6-2, advancing to the tournament final.

Collins remain 4th in the Race to the Finals, only surpassed by Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina.

Dominant Madison Keys Returns to a Final

The 30-year-old Madison Keys easily defeated Ludmila Samsonova 6-1, 6-3, reaching her first final since winning the Eastbourne Open in July 2023. Keys began her 2024 season only in March at Indian Wells due to a shoulder injury, but she has quickly regained her form during the clay swing.

Keys has a 13-5 record for the season, winning 10 of her last 12 matches, with her only clay losses coming against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Keys had a dominant start, winning the first five games consecutively. Although Samsonova held one service game to avoid a bagel, Keys comfortably took the set 6-1.

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In the second set, Keys again broke early after a tough game, establishing a 3-1 lead. The remainder of the match saw five breaks of serve, with each player capitalizing on their chances: three for Keys and two for Samsonova, allowing the American to close out the match 6-1, 6-3.

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