By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday Might 10, 2025
Danielle Collins, clay guru? That’s usually the realm of Iga Swiatek, however after the American snapped her six-match shedding streak towards the three-time Rome champion on Saturday on the Foro Italico, it’s time to offer the 31-year-old Florida native her due.
She’s 23-6 on the floor because the begin of 2024, and is hoping that she will extend her keep in Rome after reaching the spherical of 16. Collins, who reached the semifinals in Rome final 12 months, will face Elina Svitolina subsequent.
“I am simply actually embracing attending to get these matches on the clay,” she instructed reporters after her 6-1, 7-5 win over the four-time Roland-Garros champion. “I actually want we had an extended clay court docket season. It is part of the season I actually do take pleasure in as a result of I do assume the clay is so particular. It is type of good on the physique, as effectively – I am not going to lie – in comparison with the arduous courts.”
A Blast from the Previous
We don’t hear many gamers speaking about Elena Dementieva, the previous World No.3 who gained 16 titles and was thought-about top-of-the-line gamers to have by no means gained a significant, however Collins gave reward to the Russian in a roundabout means when she was requested how she was in a position to get by way of a match towards Swiatek whereas making simply 47.7 p.c of her first serves.
“Rising up, I watched a whole lot of Elena Dementieva… Elena Dementieva made a profession for herself not making many first serves,” mentioned Collins. “That was a extremely powerful shot for her. She had so many different particular components of her recreation that made her the participant she was. She was athletic.
“Generally when I’ve a nasty serving day I take into consideration Elena Dementieva and all the issues she was in a position to obtain even when the serve or first serve wasn’t working effectively for her.
“It simply reveals you you may have one space of your recreation not be efficient in the future, however if in case you have different abilities and expertise, you may apply that and actually obtain some nice issues.”
Iga’s clay woes proceed in Rome, as Danielle Collins Surges Previous the three-time champ in a rousing Rome upset 👇https://t.co/UiN3FQKMtQ pic.twitter.com/sJHuBrYlrF
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) Might 10, 2025
Overcoming Doubts
For Collins, getting a win over Swiatek was an train in self-belief an execution. She spoke about the truth that she felt she performed a few of her finest tennis in losses towards Swiatek and easily wanted to do extra of the identical to get a win over the World No.2.
“I really feel like Iga and I’ve performed so many instances at this level. When you may have a shedding document towards somebody you lose a whole lot of matches which are so shut, I really feel such as you study one thing from it,” she mentioned. “I used to be in a position to make the changes from previous losses and execute very well. I really feel like my timing was actually on, and I really feel like the extent that Iga and these prime gamers play, it actually brings out a few of my prime tennis at instances, even when a few of these matches haven’t gone my means. That’s the fascinating factor about tennis, I really feel like a few of my finest matches are ones that I misplaced, which is cool.”
Collins mentioned she was in a position to keep calm in crunch time, and it was clear as she handled Swiatek saving a match level to stage at five-all. She continued bossing the ball and took the final two video games to complete the victory.
“After all I believe the nerves all the time attempt to assist gas you and get that adrenaline going and in these excessive strain moments you finally need to attempt to thrive in these moments, and I really feel like right this moment my execution was actually on, my photographs had been actually dialed in and I used to be very clear with what I wanted to do, to be relentless and hold going after photographs and hold her guessing, and I did precisely that.”
New Coach, New Power?
Collins has been working with a brand new coach, Fanni Varga, and says that her collaboration with the previous WTA participant from Romania has helped her discover a higher emotional stability in her tennis.
“I believe it’s not straightforward after shedding fairly a couple of matches in a row towards a tricky opponent and somebody who is among the finest on the planet,” she mentioned. “Simply taking that and studying from it. I really feel like my coach, too, has been such a relaxing presence and that’s an enormous game-changer, serving to me on the psychological aspect, and simply being so encouraging. And in addition being held accountable after I must be held accountable. It’s been so nice working with my new coach, I’m simply loving her calming presence and her power, it’s simply implausible.”
“It’s a balancing factor. I’ve been too chill [at times] and that hasn’t gone effectively for me. At the moment it was a extremely good stability, that’s one thing I’ve been engaged on,” she mentioned.
All of it might sound a bit unusual, as Collins was mainly on a farewell tour in 2024, after saying plans to retire. However issues modified in her private life and she or he determined that she had extra to offer to the game. Maybe the previous Grand Slam finalist and World No.7, now 31 years of age, will use her newfound readability to attain a stage she has by no means hit earlier than?
“I’ve been attempting to go on court docket and simply get targeted on my gameplan and attempt to work on not too many highs and never too many lows, as a result of I is usually a little bit of a perfectionist,” she mentioned. “Generally being a perfectionist and having that self-reflection is absolutely good, and finally will get us to compete on the highest stage nevertheless it may also be an excessive amount of for us to deal with typically and once you go too far the opposite means with that it may be damaging.
