"So many years of hard work" says Collins after securing Australian Open final berth

Danielle Collins easily overcame Iga Swiatek in the Australian Open semifinal and after the win, she admitted relief about the result.

When Collins closed it out the match, she was oddly muted with a small wave, a hop, a 360-degree spin and a polite racquet clap. You’d never know she had just advanced to her first Grand Slam final. The American played the whole match with a very calm attitude never panicking at all. Speaking afterwards she said;

“It feels amazing. It’s been such a journey, and it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s so many years of hard work, hours at an early age on court. Yesterday I was talking about all the early mornings my dad would get up with me and practice with me before school. It’s just incredible to be on this stage.”

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Speaking on the match against Swiatek Collins admitted that she was able to play the way tennis feels natural to her. She said:

"I have certainly added a little bit more variety to my game over the last couple years, but this is my plan A and I wanted to go out and try to execute this game plan as best as I could. In the zone is the best way to describe it. So it was a bit of a shock I guess at the end when I finally closed it out."