Danielle Collins is a physical strength. tornado. She lunges at her opponent with unhurried urgency, swinging from the sides, shortening time and limiting options. The American celebration, a cry from the depths of her heart, lingered in the air and resonated in her battle.
No. 27 seed Collins will try to display those convincing dynamics at Saturday’s Australian Open, her first Grand Slam final, where she will take on the hosts’ beloved world No. 1 Ashley. · Ashleigh Barty for the contest.
The 28-year-old Collins gradually took the road to college and became a professional player, but was also hampered by health problems. Nine months ago, she underwent emergency surgery for endometriosis, a painful condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb. In March, she had a tennis ball-sized cyst removed from her uterus.
Collins added an edge in the post-surgery game. Maybe it’s because it allows her to train the way she wants, unlike the previous months and years when she worked under stifling constraints. Since returning from surgery in May, Collins is 36-10, including her first two WTA titles in Palermo and San Jose.
Now, she’s guaranteed to make her top 10 debut, surpassing her pre-surgery career-high No. 23. Iga Swatek, who played well against Collins in the semifinals, said the American’s ball was the fastest she’d ever faced.
“I spend a lot of time in the weight room building strength and speed,” said Collins, the definition of poker face in the game. “When I’m on the court, I’m able to translate that into my tennis ball, unloading my legs and spinning power to hit the ball.”
Collins grew up on public courts in Florida, where she played with men who were outside for beer, and the jagged experience taught her in many ways. It introduced her to variety, including one-handed sizzling slices, plus lessons on the importance of competing with blindfolds.
“Even when I’m here and playing in these stadiums, I think back to all the special moments I’ve had in the park,” Collins said. “This is my area.”
Barty has created the most creative work of the two weeks, with his goal of becoming the first home winner since 1978. The top seed leads 3-1 and is the clear favorite.
“I appreciate Ash’s diversity,” said Collins, the third consecutive American with a similar style to play the top seed at Melbourne Park. “She has a different style of play than almost any player on the tour. Not too many people use her backhand like she does, hit big serve like she does.”
The open-court experience may have leveled Collins’ playing field around the world — making her a contender while igniting her firepower, but against Barty, she needs all of that, and she Need some ice in his veins to fight the top seed’s dizzying range.
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