Florida’s Miami Gardens (AP) — In front of Andre Agassi and Martina Navratilova, Danielle Collins defeated Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 on Saturday to win the title in her home state. It was the ideal send-off for Collins at her final Miami Open.
The 30-year-old Collins declared during the Australian Open that this would be her final season due to her terrible uterine disease, endometriosis.
Collins made a backhand crosscourt winner on her fourth match point, although she remained hunched over for ten seconds afterward.
Collins remarked, “I was exhausted after that game and Elena was shoving me all over the court.” “I was just like, ‘Thank God,’ it all caught up to me,” in the conclusion.
During the trophy ceremony on the court, Collins shed a few tears.
Collins remarked, “To the fans, I’ve played a lot of tennis, a few finals, and nothing close to this.” “I was getting really emotional in my home state to come out here in front of thousands of my dearest friends encouraging me to get over this obstacle. It was a fantastic setting. I have never had an encounter such as that.
Against the fourth-ranked Rybakina, Collins, ranked 53 and unseeded, was vivacious throughout the two-hour match, raising her fist and glancing up to the spectators, who included a large American flag in the third row. The ragged Rybakina hit several lengthy backhands before realizing it was too much.
Collins, who rose to become the lowest-ranked women’s champion in Miami, won her third career title and her first since San Jose in 2021. She will now be ranked 22nd and has received a prize money of $1.1 million.
Collins claimed that her upcoming retirement has inspired her to capture more championships. This was her largest win to date and her first in an event at the Masters 1000 level.
