Mutua Madrid Open: No Respite for Danielle Collins as Aryna Sabalenka Ensures Yet Another Uphill Task for the American

Danielle Collins is on her way out of professional tennis. With her last dance on the horizon, Collins likely hoped for easier draws than usual, but fate, perhaps, had other plans. Having faced tenuous draws in several tournaments, Collins will find another major challenge as she steps into the Madrid Open. 

In her final year, Collins won her first and only Masters, beating Elena Rybakina in the final. She aimed to do the same in the Indian Wells Masters, but the draws were not in her favor, as they shall trouble her again in Madrid. The draws for the second Masters in the clay swing have been revealed, and Collins will receive a by. 

She is in the bottom half with Elena Rybakina, Qinwen Zheng, and Markéta Vondroušová. However, her biggest challenge will come before she faces them. If she manages to accomplish four wins, she will play against Aryna Sabalenka, who is in the fourth quarter with Collins. Collins will face either Clara Burel or a qualifier who plays against her.

Sabalenka, who is also a seeded player, will battle against Magda Linette or Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the round of 64. If the two stars manage to win three matches, they will face off in the quarterfinal, where Collins will likely curse her luck. Before getting to Saba, Collins might have to face Barbara Krejcikova.

Collins’ bad luck continues to become worse with the Madrid Open. It began earlier this year in the Australian Open when she played Iga Swiatek in the second round and followed right after she announced her retirement.

Danielle Collins has a long-running bout with bad luck in 2024

In the Qatar Open, Collins found some respite from difficult draws and managed to take herself to the quarterfinal. She ran to the same stage in the ATX Open, but her break ended harshly in the Indian Wells Masters. She played her first match against Erika Andreeva, beating the Russian 7-6, 7-6. After an already long match, Collins’ fate became worse as she was once again set to face Swiatek in 2024.

The Polish player did not take long to dispatch her 6-3, 6-0, showing her a bleak future. However, Collins did not get demotivated and returned to Miami, winning her first Masters, beating Elena Rybakina in the final. She then won the Charleston Open, defeating Paula Badosa, Ons Jabeur, Sloane Stephens and even Maria Sakkari. 

Coming into Madrid, Collins aims to make her final year better than before, but the Belarusian beauty stands in her way. Before she can aim for the quarterfinal, the American beauty needs to focus on going past the second round in Madrid, something she has not managed before. Can she manage it?