Texas [US], March 1 : No.3 seed Danielle Collins scripted a fine comeback win to battle past fellow American Katie Volynets 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-0 to secure a place in the Austin Open quarterfinals.
Collins needed 2 hours and 19 minutes to turn around the clash between last year's semifinal, which was the first meeting between the compatriots.
"It was challenging. I've had arthritis for a bunch of years now, and that's something that I have to work through. There's days that go well and everything feels great, and then there are days like today where I have to work around stuff, and that's half the challenge," Collins said after a match as quoted by WTA.
"I knew today when I woke up it wasn't going to be great, and I just had to try to do everything that I could. It wasn't ideal, but the main thing is that I figured out a way to win," she added.
World No. 112 Volynets served for the match at 6-4, 5-4, but Collins, ranked 48th, fought back to earn a break and keep the match alive. Collins stepped up her game in the second-set tiebreak, winning the final four points in a row.
Collins controlled the third set after narrowly winning the second one. She broke Volynets' service three times in a row, then saved two break opportunities in the last game to seal the victory with a forehand winner.
Elsewhere, No.2 seed Sloane Stephens was upset by frequent rival Anastasija Sevastova. Sevastova garnered a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Stephens in a match that lasted for one hour and 12 minutes.
Sevastova continues her gripping rivalry with Stephens, which she now leads 3-2. Two of their matches were high-stakes clashes in US Open quarterfinals: Stephens won their 2017 battle in a third-set tiebreak en route to her Grand Slam title, but Sevastova knocked the defending champion out in the exact same round the very next year.
"With Sloane, we always have amazing matches. Some of the most amazing matches in my career and the most important matches in my career I've played against Sloane," Sevastova said afterwards as quoted by WTA.
"Today it was a bit different for both of us because it was so cold, and some delays like, I don't know, it's not even rain, it's a mist delay; never happened to me before. But I managed to move my feet, just stay warm, and put pressure on her," she added.
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