“It almost feels like a home tournament for me” – Danielle Collins remarked, reflecting on her comeback to the tournament where she displayed remarkable grit and determination en route to victory last year. The defending champion has now secured a spot in the Round of 16 after a successful opening match. Collins attributed her smooth start to her mental approach, stating, “It was pretty smooth sailing, I think because of that mindset.” The question now is whether her strong mental fortitude can guide her to another positive result in Charleston against the formidable Jelena Ostapenko.

Danielle Collins vs Jelena Ostapenko: Preview

Danielle Collins was at her peak form this time last year. However, she hasn’t been in her best touch this season and has looked vulnerable on quite a few occasions. Her best result this year came at the Miami Open, where she reached the R16. Collins will be entering this match against Ostapenko following her 6-3,6-1 win against her compatriot, Robin Montgomery, in the R32. It took her just 1 hour and 9 minutes to wrap up the previous match, and with this win, she has now collected her seventh straight victory in Charleston.

It’s worth noting that Collins’ victory in Charleston last year came in the midst of an impressive 15-match winning streak on the tour. This remarkable run propelled her back into the Top 10 rankings by the end of the year. Adding to the significance of her Charleston win, it was her first WTA 500 title, achieved just a week after she secured her maiden WTA 1000 title at the 2024 Miami Open.

Well, her opponent in this match, Jelena Ostapenko, also had a horrid start to her season at the Australian swing. But she came back strongly in Doha, reaching the final at the Qatar Open. However, she was defeated by Amanda Anisimova in that match in straight sets. After that, she failed to impress her fans at the ‘Sunshine Doubles’, but guess what? Ostapenko has also got off to a flyer in Charleston. She defeated America’s Louisa Chirico by 7-5,6-2 in the previous round. Can the Latvian star outclass another American in the next round?

Collins vs Ostapenko: Head-to-Head

Collins and Ostapenko two have met each other three times on Tour, with Ostapenko leading the H2H record by 2-1.

• 2023 San Diego R16: Collins 2-6,6-3,6-4.
• 2023 Abu Dhabi R32: Ostapenko 7-5,1-6,7-5.
• 2018 Miami Open SF: Ostapenko 7-6(1),6-3.

Prediction: Collins will win this match in three sets

While both Jelena Ostapenko, a finalist here as a teenager in 2017, and Danielle Collins, the defending champion, have a strong understanding of this surface, I’m leaning slightly towards Collins in what promises to be a compelling match. My reasoning is based on a few factors.

Well, firstly, it’s because of her form. Collins (22) currently has a win-loss record of 6-4 in 2025, but for Ostapenko (25), it’s 7-8 at the moment. Other than that, the defending champion will get some home advantage with some backing from the crowd, and this could well play a pivotal role in this do-or-die clash.

However, having said that, it’s needless to mention that the former world number 5 is a strong competitor, so I’m expecting some fight from Ostapenko in this match. Hence, a three-setter is a big possibility!

If we now take a look at their playing styles, Jelena Ostapenko is known for her aggressive, high-risk, and powerful base lining style, which is characterized by flat, powerful groundstrokes and a relentless approach to finish points quickly. However, her biggest concern recently has been the high number of double-fault counts. She has already committed 94 double faults this season.

Just like Ostapenko, even Danielle Collins is known for her aggressive, powerful baseline game, featuring a strong kick serve, a powerful inside-out forehand, and a strong double-handed backhand that is atypically stronger than her forehand. Collins also possesses strong volleying skills. Her style of play at times allows her to hit a high number of winners, but at the same time, she is often seen generating a high number of unforced errors.

Can this be a deciding factor in this match? Well, I’m expecting the American to keep things tidy in this match and make her way into the QF.