Danielle Collins has enjoyed the perfect send-off at her final Miami Open, beating Elena Rybakina 7-5 6-3 to capture the title in her home state.
The 30-year-old Collins announced at the Australian Open in January that this season would be her last.
“I’m really ready to hold that trophy,” said a teary-eyed Collins, who was born and raised in Florida.
“It was a battle. To the fans, I’ve played a lot of tennis, a few finals, and nothing close to this.
“In my home state, to come out here in front of thousands of my best friends pushing me to get over this hurdle, I was getting very emotional.
“It was an incredible environment. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
No.53 in the world, the unseeded, Collins was animated throughout the two-hour match against her fourth-ranked rival from Kazakhstan.
On her fourth match point, Collins hit a backhand crosscourt winner, then bent over for several seconds without moving, seemingly in disbelief.
It was a third career title – and the first since San Jose in 2021 – for Collins, who became the lowest-ranked women’s champion at Miami.
She leaves with $US1.1 million ($A1.7 million) in prize money and will move up to 22nd in the rankings.
In winning the first set in an hour, Collins survived four break points at 3-3. She closed out that game and faced another break-point crisis at 5-5.
Collins won three straight points – a backhand winner, a service winner and a forehand passing shot – as the crowd roared.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, saved two break points while trying to serve her way into a tiebreaker.
Collins finally seized the set as her opponent nervously poked a backhand deep on the third set point.
The local favourite got off to a fast start in the second set with an early break.
Rybakina broke back but then squandered three break points at 3-3, hitting two straight backhands long, giving Collins the momentum.
Collins broke at 4-4 as the 2023 Australian Open finalist hit a swinging volley into the net, then pounded another backhand long on break point.
Source Agencies
