Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Friday March 29, 2024 at 8:54 a.m.
The WTA 1000 final in Miami will pit world No. 4 Elena Rybakina against No. 53 Danielle Collins, after their respective victories over Victoria Azarenka and Ekaterina Alexandrova.
As in Indian Wells, Caroline Garcia was eliminated by the future finalist of the tournament in Miami. If it was Maria Sakkari in California, this time it’s Danielle Collins who shines in Florida. The 53rd player in the world, already defeated by Anastasia Potapova (29th), Sorana Cirstea (24th) and therefore Caroline Garcia (27th), eliminated another seed in the semi-final, the world no. 16 Ekaterina Alexandrova. The 30-year-old American, who will retire at the end of the season, won 6-3, 6-2 in 1h16 to reach a very first WTA 1000 final. Broken in her second service game of the match, Collins managed to turn the situation around by winning four games in a row, and finally pocketing the first set on her sixth set point. The second was more expeditious: the Floridian broke from the start then at 4-2, and only lost four points on her throw in. She concluded the match with a shutout and will therefore play the fourth final of her career, the first since her defeat at the 2022 Australian Open against Ashleigh Barty. Collins, who was eliminated by Iga Swiatek in the round of 32 at Indian Wells, will climb at least 25 places in the rankings thanks to this final.
Rybakina in great shape
But she will have a lot to do in the final if she wants to lift her third trophy after Palermo and San Jose 2021. Because it is the world No. 4 Elena Rybakina who will be facing her. Forced to give up the Indian Wells tournament when she was the title holder, due to gastro, the Kazakh is doing much better and won her fifth match in Miami, the fourth in three sets. Opposed to Victoria Azarenka (32nd), the former Wimbledon winner won 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 in 2h35 after a match full of twists and turns. After winning the first set with a break at 4-4, she went completely through the second. The Belarusian broke three times on three occasions and only lost two points on her serve. It is therefore difficult to know which way this meeting would turn. It was first Rybakina who took the advantage in the last set by leading 4-2, but Azarenka equalized at 5-5. It was therefore necessary to play a decisive game, and the Kazakh showed herself to be much more solid, winning it 7-2. At 24, she will already be playing her 18th final and will be aiming for her eighth title, the third of her season after Brisbane and Abu Dhabi. In the Emirates, she notably beat Collins in three sets in the round of 16. Rybakina also leads 3-1 in their confrontations.
2024-03-29 07:54:00
#WTA #Miami #Rybakins #une #final
