WATCH: Danielle Collins urges her team to cheer louder during stunning Miami Open final win over Elena Rybakina
Danielle Collins urged her team to cheer louder for her during her stunning win over Elena Rybakina in the Miami Open women's singles final.
Collins clinched the first set 7-5 and then raced to a 2-0 lead in the second. In the third game of the second set, Collins encountered stiff resistance from Rybakina. It was the American's service game and she had an advantage, but she couldn't capitalize as the Kazakh brought things back to deuce.
At this point, Collins turned towards her box and urged her team to cheer louder. Following the 30-year-old's gesture, her team members applauded in unison.
Collins eventually won the second set 6-3 to clinch her maiden WTA 1000 title. In doing so, she became the lowest-ranked player (WTA World No. 53) to win the Miami Open. She also became the second unseeded player to win the women's singles title in Miami. Kim Clijsters was the first unseeded player to win the title back in 2005.
The 2022 Australian Open finalist also became the sixth American woman to triumph in Miami, joining an illustrious list of players featuring Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Sloane Stephens.
"I've played a few finals, but nothing close to this" - Danielle Collins
For Collins, her Miami Open triumph meant more than a prestigious WTA 1000 title. The 30-year-old was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and grew up watching the Miami Open.
In her speech, Collins sent a message of gratitude to her fans and also spoke about the importance of winning the tournament in her home state.
"To the fans, I’ve played a lot of tennis, and I’ve played a few finals, but nothing close to this. To play in my home state, at a tournament I used to watch on TV as a kid - my dad said, ‘If you’re not playing in the tournament you’re not going,’ so I had to work really hard to get here. And to come out here and feel like I’m playing in front of thousands of my best friends, and everybody that was pushing me to get over this hurdle today, it just meant the world," Danielle Collins said (via Tennis.com).
Collins now has 15 wins from 22 matches so far this season, with the Miami Open in her bag. The American also reached the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open after having to qualify for the main draw.