Danielle COLLINS stages incredible comeback victory over Olga DANILOVIC at Madrid Open

Danielle Collins (No. 15) survived a resilient Olga Danilovic (No. 122) and advanced to the third round of the Madrid Open with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(8) victory. The Serbian tennis player held the advantage during the second set, but Collins regained her best form to turn the incredible match around.

In the first set, Collins faced more difficulties with her serve, conceding two break points in the third game, but she managed to save them to maintain parity. However, in her next service game, she gave her opponent another opportunity, which Danilovic capitalized on to take a 3-2 lead. Collins quickly recovered the break, but once again failed to hold her service game, allowing Danilovic to take the lead 4-3. With no room for further discussion, the Serbian won the set from her serve by 6-4.

In the second set, things continued to look bleak for Collins, who lost her first service game and fell behind 3-1. However, the American showed her usual competitive spirit to overcome the difficulties and recover the break. At 5-4, Collins seized a single break opportunity in her favor to win the set 6-4.

The former Australian Open finalist notably increased her first-service percentage from 53% in the first set to 70%, and her effectiveness also grew from 72% to 86%, demonstrating a high level of serving to play short points.

In the decisive set, neither player gave opportunities to her opponent, and both held their service games without much trouble. Danilovic saved a break point against her at 3-4 and then secured a break to lead 5-4, giving her the chance to close out the match on her serve.

Collins did not give up and recovered the break to extend the match to a tie-break, where she wasted five match points before sealing a tremendous victory at 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(8). In the third round, she will face the Romanian Jaqqueline Cristian (No. 73), who defeated former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova (No. 27).