'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Danielle Collins overcame Elena Rybakina's stern challenge to win the 2024 Miami Open, the biggest title of her career, on Saturday.
Collins faced last year's runner-up and No. 4 seed Rybakina in the title contest in Miami on March 30 and executed a perfect gameplay to emerge triumphant at the WTA 1000 tournament. The American broke the Kazakh's serve late in the first set to take the advantage and pierced through Rybakina's service twice in the second set to win the contest, 7-5, 6-3 in just over two hours.
More impressively, Danielle Collins saved 10 out of 11 breakpoints on her serve and had a better first-serve percentage than Elena Rybakina. Tennis fans were overwhelmed to see the American win such a grand tournament in the final year of her career. Collins announced at the start of the year that she would retire at the end of 2024 to focus on her personal life.
Many hailed the "fairytale" victory for Collins at a tournament played in her home state and admired her tenacity and game management to better Rybakina in the final. Some even suggested she should reconsider retirement in light of her victory.
"Man, what a story. Battling a chronic inflammatory disease, retiring at the end of the year, just won the biggest title of her career," a fan tweeted.
"So happy for her. Great final game. Breaking the tension of it by shouting at her team to coach her and then telling them to shut up is both peak and vintage Collins," wrote another fan.
"Danielle Collins’ emotional reaction as she wins the biggest title of her life. She drops her racquet & puts her hands over her face. In her last season on tour. In her home state. If you want it bad enough, fairytales do come true," another tweet read.
Here are more fan reactions to Danielle Collins' Miami Open win:
Danielle Collins lost only one set en route to title at Miami Open 2024
Danielle Collins was indomitable throughout the 2024 Miami Open. Barring the first set of the first-round match against Bernarda Pera, the American did not drop a set on her way to clinching the tournament. She overcome the first-set deficit against Pera to beat her 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the opening round.
Collins then ousted No. 30 seed Anastasia Potapova (6-2, 6-2), Elina Avanesyan (6-1, 6-2), No. 19 seed Sorana Cirstea (6-3, 6-2), No. 23 seed Caroline Garcia (6-3, 6-2), No. 14 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova (6-3, 6-2), and No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina (7-5, 6-3) to win the competition.
This was the former Australian Open finalist's third WTA Tour title. She previously won the WTA 250 Palermo Ladies Open and WTA 500 San Jose Open in 2021. The 30-year-old will jump 31 spots on the WTA Rankings and occupy the World No. 22 spot after conquering the 2024 Miami Open.
