Swiatek’s Struggles Continue as Title Defense in Rome Ended by Collins
Holder Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Italian Open to American Danielle Collins after a 6-1 7-5 third-round loss on Saturday in a major upset that will cost the Pole the world number two ranking as the defense of her French Open title looms.
Swiatek held a commanding 7-1 head-to-head record against Collins before the contest and yet another early defeat does not bode well for the 23-year-old, who has not won a tournament since her fourth triumph at Roland Garros last year.
“I played against Iga so many times … When you play that many close matches and get this close and also play some of your best tennis and lose, I think you learn a lot,” Collins, 31, said. “I feel like I applied that today, to the match.”
Five-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek went 5-0 down in the opening set before getting on the board to avoid a bagel.
Collins was lethal from the baseline, mixing it up with forehand and backhand service return winners as she picked apart Swiatek’s serve in an opening set that was one-way traffic.
The second was level at 4-4 as Swiatek showed flashes of brilliance, but 31-year-old 2022 Australian Open runner-up Collins showed no mercy, sealing victory in one hour and 44 minutes when a return went wide.
