There will be no sixth WTA 1000 semi-final for Caroline Garcia. On Wednesday, the Frenchwoman, 27th in the world, suffered the law of Danielle Collins in the quarter-finals in Miami, dominated in two sets (6-3, 6-2). Manipulated again on the right shoulder throughout the second set, the Frenchwoman was especially in the trap throughout the match on her return games. She therefore leaves the place in the last four in Florida to the American, who will play her second semi-final in WTA 1000, after the one played and lost in 2018, already in Miami.
It was the fourth confrontation between the two players and the problem is therefore still insoluble for the Frenchwoman, who lost for the fourth time against the American 53rd in the world, without ever having managed to take a set! For Collins, who suggested that 2024 would probably be his last season on the circuit, life is good and tennis has been free and well maintained for several weeks.
For Garcia, there is obviously better compared to Indian Wells, but the Frenchwoman was too expensive (26 unforced errors for 12 winning points) and too little dangerous on Collins’ service games to hope for anything on Wednesday, don’t worry. granting no break points throughout the match!
The start of the game was quite mixed. Rather comfortable on her throw-in until 3-3, the former world No. 4 had difficulty influencing the return games. When she was not too long on the restart, she regularly made mistakes on the second shot, through haste or excessive risk-taking, in her desire to play in the field. However, Garcia opened the window for a moment, seeming to adjust to 3-3, catapulting her first two winning returns to tickle the American on her serve, at 40 A.
Garcia, shoulder still painful
But, hope rose on the next play. Collins returned three times very close to the baseline. In her desire to hold her ground, Garcia made no effort to back down and released two half-volleys from the baseline, only to release her throw at the worst possible moment on a well-hit cross-court backhand from the American. The finalist of the 2022 Australian Open still did not tremble on her serve and pocketed the set straight away, in 36 minutes.
For Garcia, it was imperative to be fairer and more incisive in return. But it was, conversely, Collins who maintained the pressure in the rally and broke at 1-1 on a small forehand approach missed by Garcia.
The situation was becoming complicated, especially as Garcia requested a medical time-out to have her right shoulder manipulated, the one that had already bothered her in the two previous matches, against Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff. The Frenchwoman was still hanging on. She even came closest once again, at 2-3, 40 A on Collins’ serve. But the American played the key points very accurately and maintained the gap.
Garcia saw no solution. Collins gave nothing. On yet another backhand, the American even offered herself three double break points in a row (0-40). In a final push, the Frenchwoman pushed all three aside, but Collins came back and broke on the fifth occasion. To end the match with a shutout and ultimately concede only eleven points in nine service games.
