Collins, Kenin to Meet in All-American French Open Quarterfinal

October 6, 2020 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Photo Credit: Simon Bruty/USTA

 

There will be at least one American woman in the French Open semifinals as Danielle Collins and Sofia Kenin will square off the in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Kenin played her fourth-round contest on Monday, and came back from a set down to beat France’s Fiona Ferro 2-6, 6-2, 6-1. The Australian Open champion took a bathroom break in between the second and third sets, which didn’t please the French crowd.

“I tried to use that as motivation,” she said. “Obviously I was not really too happy with how it was going. I knew it’s expected. I understand why. I’m playing a French player, and she’s had a great run here. Of course, they obviously wanted to win.

I just try to tell myself one point at a time, eventually it’s going to change if I just keep playing. Yeah, I definitely used the crowd as motivation because I really wanted to win. First of all, I did it for myself. I guess it’s always nice to get the win.”

Collins had her match postponed until Tuesday, where she outlasted Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach her second career major quarterfinal.

“She’s tricky and she served really well, she hit some drop shots on shots I wasn’t really expecting,” said Collins. “I just had to try to dig it out. It broke my rhythm. I lost my way there a little bit, but lost some of the shots I had been hitting earlier and I just tried to stay positive.”

Collins defeated Kenin earlier this year in Adelaide, and the two’s previous two matchups came in ITF events, both of which were won by Collins.

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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