Danielle Collins has become a fan favorite in her final year on the tour. Her sudden rise to form drove her to Miami and Charleston titles, thereby putting her among the best players in the world. While she is considered as one of the dark horses for Wimbledon, her path is far from easy. For instance, a banana skin matchup in Dalma Galfi awaits her in round 2.

Galfi’s world number 79 ranking doesn’t do justice to her grass court skills. Her career record on the surface is up there with some top 10 players in the world. With a 9-1 win-loss record on grass this year, she sure is one of the toughest round 2 opponents for a seed at Wimbledon.

Danielle Collins vs Dalma Galfi: Wimbledon Round 2 Preview

Collins comes into Wimbledon without playing a single grass-court leadup. Her only match on the surface this year was the round 1 victory over Clara Tauson. Her aggressive baseline game style would naturally suit grass courts, but movement remains a matter of worry. With only 8 wins in 18 career matches on grass, she might just be the underdog in this tie.

Galfi, meanwhile, is buzzing with confidence at the moment. She started from the qualifiers of s-Hertogenbosch event and made semi-finals. At Wimbledon again, she got through qualifiers comfortably and beat Mayar Sherif 1 and 2 in the opening round. With her current form and dominant first serve, she will fancy her chances against the American.

Danielle Collins vs Dalma Galfi: Head-to-Head

Galfi won the solitary meeting between her and Collins at the Indian Wells, 2023. However, the match took place when Collins was far from her best level. Head-to-head surely doesn’t conclude how the matchup might pan out.

Prediction:

Collins’ form and hype has toned down a bit in the recent week after an early Roland Garros exit. Her serving numbers against Clara Tauson were concerning with only 49% first serves going in. The six aces were also negated by 5 double faults. However, the 45% win rate on return points puts her among the best returners on tour.

Galfi’s numbers are much more convincing at the moment. She only dropped three games in her opening round while winning 74% of first serve points. She was also quite successful at net, winning 9 of the 14 points in the forecourt. By winning 52% of return points, she outdid Collins in arguably her best trait.

The numbers and current form all suggest that Galfi could come out on top in this fixture. Collins for all her sudden resurgence, is still not a seasoned grass courter. This could well be Danielle Collins’ final match at Wimbledon.

Final Verdict: Galfi to win in three sets. The match will comprise less than 30 games and lots of short rallies. The ace count will be low and most likely go in favor of Galfi.