By Tucker Verdi
Danielle Collins had a set point at 6-5 in the first. If she had won the point, her Cinderella run at the 2018 Miami Open might’ve continued.
Jelena Ostapenko knows a little something about Cinderella runs. Her unseeded run to the title at Roland Garros in 2017 – the first since 1933 – still resonates. But now she’s a top 5 player, and set point down, she continues to show that French Open win wasn’t a fluke. She and her aggressive play are here to stay.
She saved the set point, and won the match 7-6(1), 6-3.
“I think I’m calmer now, and also mentally I’m stronger now,” Ostapenko said of her recent improvement in her game. “Just more consistent and more confident and just going for shots sometimes and not afraid to miss it.”
This coming from a young player who hit 54 winners and 54 unforced errors to win her maiden Grand Slam. That was a three-setter and she was brand new to the big stage, no doubt nervous and inconsistent. Imagine a more confident and consistent Ostapenko, like the one we’re seeing now, with that winner total ticking up and that error total dropping down.
A truly daunting opponent, and Danielle Collins had to find that out the hard way.
For Ostapenko, this was her fifth match of this fortnight. For Collins, this was her eighth.
Collins had seemingly weathered it all, from surviving qualifying to a tough three-setter with Coco Vandeweghe to rallying from a set down in two consecutive matches to beating her idol Venus Williams. The 24-year-old didn’t grow up in tennis academies; she grew up on public courts challenging adults to matches.
Collins was ranked 117th in the world coming into the Miami Open. On Monday, she will be ranked 53rd. It’s a huge step for a player her took the untraditional route of playing collegiately, winning two national championships at the University of Virginia.
“I knew it was going to be a tough match,” Ostapenko said of her matchup with Collins, “because I saw a couple of her matches this tournament and she was playing on a really high level.”
For now, Ostapenko is the one who powers forward into a final with American Sloane Stephens. With a win, the 20-year-old Latvian will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 4 in the world.
Stephens and Ostapenko will take the court at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 31st. Get your tickets for the Women’s final here
About the Miami Open presented by Itaú
The 2018 Miami Open will be played March 19-April 1 at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Miami. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of its exotic Miami location, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and its celebrity appeal. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.
About Itaú
Itau is the largest Latin America privately owned bank, with approximately 94,000 employees and operations in 19 countries throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Itaú’s relationship with sport goes back to the 1970s, when Itaú first sponsored the Itaú Tennis Cup in Brazil in 1970. Itaú has been a sponsor of the Miami Open for the last six years, and also sponsors the Rio Open, the only combined ATP/WTA event in South America. Itaú also supports the Brazilian Women’s Tennis Circuit, only female professional tournament in South America, certified by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the Tennis Institute Training Center, responsible for the development of young, new talent.
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions.
