Danielle
Collins (No. 22) defeated
Maria Sakkari (No. 7) by 6-3, 6-3 to extend her
winning streak to 12 consecutive victories and advance to the final of the WTA
500
Charleston Open. The American once again clinches a victory in straight
sets and has won 24 of the last 26 sets she has played.
In the
first part, Collins quickly showcased her strengths with the serve and
capitalized on her first break opportunity to take a 3-0 lead in just a few
minutes of the match. The former Australian Open finalist's dominant start did
not last, and this time it was Sakkari who secured a break and won three
consecutive games to level at 3-3.
Like in her
recent appearances over the past weeks, Collins was highly effective in winning
70% of the points on her serve, while once again taking advantage of Sakkari's
uncertainties to claim the break in the eighth game and then close the set 6-3
in her favor.
In the
second set, Collins maintained the momentum from the previous set to add two
more consecutive games (five in total) and face the set with greater composure.
Sakkari was inconsistent with her serving points, but managed to stay alive and
create a couple of break opportunities, although she couldn't convert them.
Danielle Collins continues her streak in Charleston
Just when
Collins was facing more difficulties with her serve, a couple of aces arrived
to ease the pressure, and she played confidently in her final service points.
With a break in the ninth game, Collins ultimately secured another excellent
victory by 6-3, 6-3, extending her streak to 12 consecutive wins, three of them
against a top-10 opponent.
In the
final, she will face Russian Daría Kasatkina (No. 11), who overcame a tough
battle against Jessica Pegula (No. 5) and will play her third final in 2024,
still seeking success to claim a title. The Russian Wall and Collins already
faced each other in a final back in 2021 at the Stanford Open, where the
American clinched the title in a thrilling three-set match.