Roland Garros: Danielle Collins vs Clara Tauson preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020
Match details
Fixture: Danielle Collins vs Clara Tauson
Date: 1 October 2020
Tournament: Roland Garros 2020
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: Approx. €38,000,000
Match timing: 11 am CEST, 2.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - NBC Sports / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Danielle Collins vs Clara Tauson preview
Unseeded American Danielle Collins will face Danish teenage sensation Clara Tauson in the second round of the 2020 French Open on Thursday.
Collins broke through on the tour in 2019, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open despite having never won a main draw Major match previously. But the former collegiate player hasn't exactly backed up that result, managing only five match wins in as many Slams since.
Collins has two ITF titles on clay, but has seldom done well on the surface on the WTA Tour. She registered only her second main draw win at Roland Garros on Tuesday, recovering from a one-set deficit to beat Monica Niculescu in three.
The American showed some good ball-striking in her match, hitting 53 winners - including a return winner off an underarm serve, which she seemed to thoroughly enjoy. However, she also made 42 unforced errors in the process, which might be a major concern going forward.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Clara Tauson became an overnight sensation with her performance on Tuesday. Playing in her first Grand Slam main draw at the senior level, the Dane upset the in-form US Open semifinalist Jennifer Brady in a three-set thriller.
Champion at last year's junior Australian Open, Tauson faltered while serving out the match against Brady at the first time of asking. But the teenager showed incredible composure to break Brady again immediately and serve it out to win the decider 9-7.
Danielle Collins vs Clara Tauson head-to-head
Their upcoming match at Roland Garros will be the first-ever career meeting between Danielle Collins and Clara Tauson, as the latter has just started taking baby steps on the senior tour. As such, their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Danielle Collins vs Clara Tauson prediction
Yet to celebrate her 18th birthday, Clara Tauson is already being touted as the next great Dane on tour after the retired Caroline Wozniacki. But Tauson plays nothing like her accomplished predecessor.
The teenager is fearlessly aggressive with her groundstrokes, and also loves attacking the net. Wozniacki often struggled with her forehand and didn't enjoy playing on clay, but Tauson's forehand is her biggest weapon and clay, self-admittedly, her favorite surface.
That showed against Brady, as she hit a total of 48 winners in the match to complete the breakthrough win.
Danielle Collins herself is a highly aggressive player, and one of the hardest hitters off both wings in the women's game. Both Tauson and Collins are expected to hit winners aplenty on Thursday, while also making unforced errors by the dozen.
It remains to be seen if the teenager can produce another stunning performance and upset Brady's compatriot, but you wouldn't want to count her out.
Prediction: Clara Tauson to win in three sets.