Miami Open champion Danielle Collins continued her impressive streak by winning two matches on Thursday at the Charleston Open. She defeated Ons Jabeur and Sloane Stephens to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Collins, who has announced that this will be her final season on tour, has now won 10 consecutive matches and 20 of her last 21 sets.
Despite rain delays causing several matches to be postponed, Collins remained unfazed and played back-to-back matches on the clay court. She first defeated Jabeur in a hard-fought match lasting over two hours, followed by a dominant victory over Stephens in just over an hour.
Collins expressed her adaptability to the challenging conditions, stating the importance of flexibility and versatility in such situations. Jabeur, ranked sixth, suffered her fourth consecutive opening match loss in tournaments this season.
Collins, currently ranked 22nd, is set to face Elise Mertens in the next round. Mertens also won two matches on Thursday, overcoming Varvara Gracheva and Elina Svitolina. Top-seeded Jessica Pegula and Victoria Azarenka also secured spots in the quarterfinals.
Veronika Kudermetova, the defending champion, advanced with a victory over Beatriz Haddad Maia and will face Maria Sakkari in the next round. Jaqueline Cristian, playing in Charleston for the first time, continued her impressive run by defeating Emma Navarro after previously beating Madison Keys.
Cristian, ranked 83rd, displayed mental resilience after losing the second set and will now face Daria Kasatkina, ranked 11th. The competition at the Charleston Open remains intense, with players showcasing their skills and determination on the court.
