Jelena Ostapenko Stops Qualifier Danielle Collins To Reach Miami Final

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Jelena Ostapenko Stops Qualifier Danielle Collins To Reach Miami Final
By Anton Lagani, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Saturday, March 31, 2018 4:15am PST USA

MIAMI-- Thursday in the semifinals of the Miami Open at Miami, Florida, the Roland Garros champion and sixth seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia defeated the qualifier Danielle Collins of the USA 7-6(7-1), 6-3 to reach today’s final round versus the US Open champion and 13th seeded Sloane Stephens also of the USA.

The two time NCAA champion Collins used an aggressive baseline game to reach set point in set one before Ostapenko hit several powerful shots of her own including a crosscourt forehand winner and a swing

Jelena Ostapenko and Danielle Collins

Last year in the Roland Garros final, Ostapenko defeated the world number one Simona Halep of Romania 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 while striking 54 winners as well as 54 unforced errors.

forehand volley winner to reach the tiebreaker.

Four groundstroke errors combined with a netted swing forehand volley send Collins down early in the tiebreaker 1-5.

Ostapenko then sent a backhand down the line which hit the top of the net before falling over for a winner to set up set point.

An ace down the tee from Ostapenko put her ahead one set to none.

In set two, Ostapenko scored an early break of serve to lead 3-2 before closing the match out with a final break of serve after hitting a down the line forehand passing shot winner on match point; her 33rd winner of the match.

Ostapenko’s all or nothing style of power tennis was on full display in her victory over Collins as it had been in last year’s Roland Garros final where she’d defeated the world number one Simona Halep of Romania 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 while striking 54 winners but also 54 unforced errors.

The Latvian takes on Stephens in the Miami final today at 10:00am PST USA.

Ostapenko has never faced the American before.