Danielle Collins vs Aryna Sabalenka Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Rome

Prediction published on 16/05/2024, 02:00  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 16/05/2024 at 02:00 in Tennis Predictions

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka has advanced to yet another Italian Open semi-final and will play 13th seed Danielle Collins. The winner will play Iga Swiatek or Cori Gauff in the final. Danielle Collins is having the best Italian Open campaign of her career. This is also one of the best seasons from the American and it seems she has saved the best for last. Collins is retiring at the end of the season after eight years as a pro player. She has compiled a dominant 32-8 record and has won two titles, one being her first WTA 1000 crown. Before this season, Collins had never advanced past the third round in Rome. Now she is just two wins away from being crowned champion. The 30-year-old has been in excellent form here and is yet to drop a set. She defeated former world number one Victoria Azarenka by the loss of seven games in the last round. This was her 12th win in 13 outings on clay and bumped her up three places to 12th in the live ranking. Collins has lost just once in her last 20 fixtures. That defeat was inflicted by Sabalenka in Madrid last month.

Aryna Sabalenka has won all five meetings with Collins. Her victory in Madrid a fortnight ago was the first time the two had battled on clay. The three set win ended a 15-match winning run by the American. Her dominance in this fixture should have her extremely confident of gracing a first final in Rome. The current world number two was eliminated in the semi-finals here two seasons ago. Last year, she disappointingly fell in her tournament opener. The 26-year-old has won 24 of 30 matches in 2024 and has advanced to three championship matches, winning one. She defeated last year’s semi-finalist Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets to advance to this round. It was her second 2-0 victory in the tournament. Sabalenka had finished as runner-up in Madrid before arriving in Rome.