Italian Open 2024: Danielle Collins vs Caroline Garcia preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (13) Danielle Collins vs (22) Caroline Garcia
Date: May 12, 2024
Tournament: Italian Open 2024
Round: Third Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Clay
Prize money: $5,509,771
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Danielle Collins vs Caroline Garcia preview
Former top-10 players Danielle Collins and Caroline Garcia will clash in the third round of the 2024 Italian Open on Sunday, May 12.
Collins' 15-match winning streak came to an end against Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round of last week's Madrid Open. After a first-round bye, she took on Anna Blinkova in the second round of the Italian Open.
Collins rallied from a break down twice in the first set to capture it. Unfortunately, Blinkova also injured herself during this time and couldn't continue playing, forcing her to retire. The American was by her side in an instant and helped her out in a heartwarming gesture of sportsmanship.
Garcia received a bye into the second round as well, where she was up against home favorite Elisabetta Cocciaretto. The Frenchwoman dictated the play in the first set and exerted relentless pressure on her opponent, which helped her claim the set.
Garcia's level dipped in the second set but fought hard to turn things around. She overcame a 3-0 deficit, saved two break points at 5-4, and eventually gained the upper hand in the tie-break to win the match 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Danielle Collins vs Caroline Garcia head-to-head
Collins leads Garcia 4-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter in straight sets en route to the Miami Open title a couple of months ago.
Danielle Collins vs Caroline Garcia odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Danielle Collins vs Caroline Garcia prediction
Collins and Garcia both love to play first-strike tennis, but the former has been able to outhit the latter in this rivalry with ease so far. The American has won all four of their previous encounters in straight sets.
Collins has won seven of those eight sets quite comfortably and was taken to a tie-break only once. However, all of their previous matches were on hardcourts, and a change of surface could reverse Garcia's losing skid.
Garcia has won more matches on clay than Collins, though the latter hasn't competed much on the surface. That doesn't mean that the American is a slouch on the red dirt. She's a former French Open quarterfinalist and has won two titles on the surface.
Collins is unfazed by the pace and depth of Garcia's shots and can give it back in equal measure. The American also tends to be more consistent with her shotmaking from start to finish. Given their history, this is likely to be another win routine win for Collins.
Pick: Danielle Collins to win in straight sets.