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By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday August 31, 2022
Flushing Meadows, NY—When Danielle Collins, the No.19 seed at this yr’s US Open, noticed the US Open draw and realized she’d need to face Naomi Osaka within the first spherical, she had solely two phrases to say: “Oh, crap.”
However this yr’s Australian Open runner-up rapidly acknowledged—and met—the Osaka problem to lock up a 7-6(5), 6-3 triumph.
Removed from a shrinking violet, Collins is assured as may be in her powers, and put them to work to take down a four-time Slam champion that’s removed from assured.
“I am able to enjoying a reasonably excessive stage, with the success she had,” Collins stated. “It is form of robust for each of us to need to [face] one another within the first spherical. However such a terrific match for all of the followers to look at. I feel we performed actually excessive stage tennis so we are able to each form of stroll away proud of the efficiency.”
Reality be advised, it has been a troublesome journey for Collins since her breakthrough efficiency at a Slam in Australia. She has been hindered by a neck harm and has by no means actually been capable of put it within the rearview.
She got here into the US Open with simply three wins in 9 matches since reaching the quarterfinals on the Miami Open, the place she was defeated by Osaka, 6-2, 6-1.
“I have been coping with a neck harm all yr, in order that’s simply been one thing that hasn’t actually gone away,” she stated. “I have never actually had ample time to let it relaxation and to heal. It is one among these items that will get higher once I’m resting. Once I begin enjoying once more, it form of comes again.”
Collins says that coming again too quickly and enjoying whereas injured has successfully harm her confidence.
“Whenever you’re typically getting beat once you really feel such as you’re not completely ready bodily or mentally, it begins to harm your confidence slightly bit. It may be actually irritating,” she stated.
She will not be one hundred pc wholesome this week, however she’ll actually be extra assured after taking out such a high-caliber expertise within the opening spherical.
Collins will face Romania’s Cristina Bucsa, the World No.118, within the second spherical.
Larger issues may very well be on the way in which for Collins if she will string collectively a number of extra wins.
“Hoping that I can proceed the momentum,” she stated. “Hopefully this provides me some confidence figuring out that I can beat somebody like Naomi and compete onerous after not having any matches going into it. So yeah, I am hoping for that.”
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