WHAT HAPPENED: Caroline Wozniacki, the No. 19 seed from Denmark, took on American Danielle Collins, ranked No. 35 in the world, in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Day 4 of the 2019 US Open.
It took three tight sets, but Wozniacki, a former No. 1 in the world, was the tougher player, edging out Collins, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The 29-year-old Dane last met Collins in Rome, where Wozniacki retired due to a lower-leg injury. Collins, age 25, has never before reached the second round at the US Open.
The first set saw a confident Collins more than keeping up with an opponent who held onto her No. 1 ranking for a total of 71 weeks. The American broke Wozniacki’s serve and never let go of her lead, wobbling only at the end when she squandered a few set points before she closed it out.
But Wozniacki has had recent practice recovering from a dropped set. In her round-one victory over Yafan Wang from China, the Dane lost the first set 1-6, but bounced back to win the match. With quiet composure, Wozniacki cranked up nearly every aspect of her game, hitting and serving bigger, while cutting back on unforced errors. cki’s also known for her superb defensive skills. But she needed to fight fire with fire to get the job done. Collins started the third set with double the number of winners (28 to Wozniacki’s 14). But Collins also doubled up on winners (29 to Wozniacki’s 14). The Danish GirlWozniacki got shaky at 5-1, dropping serve instead of closing out the set. Collins held but Wozniacki served well to get on the board, 6-3.
Collins left the court before the start of the third set while Wozniacki bounced around the service line, trying to stay limber and motivated. When play resumed, Wozniacki looked strong and focused, cruising to a final score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
WHAT IT MEANS: Wozniacki met a player not unlike herself in Collins. The American is a problem-solver on the court, hitting deep angles that kept a player known for her balance and agility off her game. The Danish Girl had to fight fire with fire to best Collins, getting aggressive against an opponent who hit nine aces (Wozniacki had two) and 43 winners (Wozniacki had 24). It was the American's unforced error count that spoiled her chance in the end: She racked up 46 of them, compared to Wozniacki's 14.
MATCH POINT: Wozniacki is a two-time US Open semi-finalist, losing to Clijsters in 2009 and Serena Williams in 2014. If three time's a charm, she may well make another trip to a semi-final match, and, perhaps, beyond.
