‘Danimal’ unleashed in Strasbourg! Danielle Collins kick-started her campaign at the Internationaux de Strasbourg with a straight-set victory against the Czech Republic’s Kateřina Siniaková. She will take on the home-favorite Clara Burel in the QF match. Burel has been in a ‘Giant-Slaying’ mood at the moment. But Collins has looked completely different this season, and she is no longer a dark horse but a real contender in whichever tournament she steps in. She has already clinched two titles this year. ‘Danimal’ is showing no signs of slowing down, so defeating her this season is quite a mammoth task for even the best of the game.

Burel, on the other hand, will be entering into this contest after her emphatic victory over defending champion, Elina Svitolina in her previous match. She ended Svitolina’s 9-match winning streak in Strasbourg, but can she end Collins’ incredible run this year with a victory against her in Strasbourg?

Danielle Collins vs Clara Burel: Preview

Danielle Collins didn’t start off the season too well, but in the last few months, she has been absolutely unstoppable. She has already announced this will be her last season as a professional tennis player, so she has nothing to lose but a lot to gain. Perhaps this is what brought a ‘fearless’ aspect to her game. Apart from winning two titles, Collins has reached two QFs and one SF in her previous tournaments this year. In the last match, she thrashed Katerina Siniakova by a 6-1,6-2 margin. 

Collins hit just a single ace and committed two double faults in the entire match. Her first-serve win percentage was 77% and her second-serve win percentage was just around 75%. Danielle Collins converted four out of her six breakpoints successfully against the Czech tennis player. So far, Collins has managed to hit 143 aces and committed 161 double faults this season. She has won 74.4% of her service games and 40.8% of her return games.

On the other hand, Clara Burel has reached two QFs in her previous tournaments this year. She defeated Elina Svitolina by a 7-6(1),4-6,6-1 margin in her R16 match. Burel hit three aces and committed two double faults in that match. Her first serve win percentage was around 64% against Svitolina, but it dropped to 47% on the second serve. She converted seven of her fifteen breakpoints against the Ukrainian tennis star. 

Clara Burel has managed to hit 46 aces this season and committed almost twice the number of double faults (90). She has won 59% of her service games and 42.5% of her return games this year. But who do you think has the edge in the H2H record?

Collins vs Burel: Head-to-Head

Currently, their H2H scoreline is at 0-0, they haven’t met each other earlier on the Tour. If Burel manages to beat Collins in this QF match, this will be one of the shocking results in this tournament. The way Danielle Collins has played over the last few months, beating her is no less than a mammoth task. But Burel has already showcased her potential in her previous match and this is what makes this match more interesting.

Prediction: Collins to win in two sets

Danielle Collins has won 20 of her last 22 matches. She currently has a win-loss record of 29-9 this season. So, looking at her current form and the way she has dominated in her previous matches, Collins looks clearly ahead in this contest. While Clara Burel has a win-loss record of 10-11 this season. She needs to level up her game a little bit to stand a chance against the in-form Danielle Collins in the QF.

Talking about their playing style, Danielle Collins showcases a highly aggressive brand of tennis. She has a powerful serve and equally venomous groundstrokes. And, this is what makes her one of the hardest hitters on the women’s Tour. Her double-handed backhand is much stronger than her forehand. But her style of play also draws in quite a few high-risk unforced errors. So, this is something that she needs to work on a little bit this season. Clara Burel, on the other hand, has a decent baseline game. She is an excellent mover on the court and has the ability to mix up her shots intelligently. But is it enough to topple Danielle Collins in her next match? No, certainly not, I guess!