Danielle Collins came into the French Open as one of the favourites to lift the title and has been one of the most consistent players on the WTA Tour all the way through 2024 after announcing her retirement. But that came to a shuddering halt against Olga Danilovic 6-7, 7-5, 6-4.
Collins was beaten on the outside courts by the Serbian qualifier who played alongside Novak Djokovic at this year's United Cup as the top female player. A mere 20 minutes after Djokovic won on Court Philippe-Chatrier, he was joined in the third round by his compatriot.
Collins who won Miami and Charleston took a big risk in playing last week in Strasbourg and it doesn't seem to have paid off. She reached the final last week and has only been defeated in recent months by Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys latterly in Strasbourg in the final.
So some doubts can be levied about her decision to play constantly in the weeks prior to the French Open. Keys won earlier today and will likely face Emma Navarro so in reality her decision was good. But for Collins perhaps it wasn't.
Danilovic who previously caused Collins problems on her tour return in Madrid as a result was a danger on paper with the latter struggling against both the Serbian and also Jaqueline Cristian. But that was her return after some time off the tour compared to now when she plays her after a few weeks of constant play.
Collins looked to be on her way to the win initially. She was 5-3 up in the second set and looked to be heading towards a hard fought win. But Danilovic turned the tables and won through. She was very emotional after sealing the win. From qualifying to the third round and defeating one of the tournament favourites.
It has been a steady progression for Danilovic who represented Serbia in the United Cup alongside Djokovic in January and has been steadily improving. But this is a career best win and also opens up Collins' section to great effect. A superb effort from the Serbian and a brick wall hit by Collins.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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