Danielle Collins could play her final Grand Slam match in Tuesday's all-American US Open first-round meeting with Caroline Dolehide.
The No. 11 seed announced her retirement plans after her Australian Open exit in January, and she seeks to avoid an early exit against her countrywoman.
Match preview
© Reuters
Collins heads into the final major appearance of her career, keen to avoid a round-one elimination at the hands of Dolehide.
The 30-year-old has not exited a Slam in the opening round since last year's French Open, and she aims to keep that run going in New York to make it six consecutive majors without losing in the first round.
Despite her deep runs Down Under in Australia — semi-finalist in 2019 and 2022 finalist — the No. 11 seed has never advanced beyond the fourth in her home Major, making it past three opponents in the 2022 tournament.
While she progressed to round four at this year's Wimbledon, losing to eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova, before following that by reaching the Paris 2024 quarter-final, the 30-year-old has been eliminated in round two in Australia and Roland Garros, highlighting her broader struggles at this year's Slams.
A 47% win rate at the US Open is the worst Grand Slam record of the retiring American's career, but she hopes to improve that win-loss statistic in her final appearance.
Standing in her way is countrywoman Dolehide, who faces an uphill task against her more experienced opponent.
Dolehide enters this year's tournament at Flushing Meadows without ever winning a match in her home tournament in four previous participations, exiting in three straight first-round matches from 2018 to 2020 before a fourth round-one elimination last year.
The 25-year-old's Grand Slam performance this year has been marked by early exits in the previous two Majors, following a second-round departure in Australia, and it remains to be seen if the World No. 49 bucks the trend against Collins.
However, an underwhelming sequence of results has seen Dolehide suffer first-round losses in Canada and Cincinnati, losing to qualifier Taylor Townsend in the latter, which does not bode well for Tuesday.
Head To Head
Stillwater (2016) - Final: Collins 1-0 ret
Redding (2016) - Round of 32: Collins 6-2 7-6
Santa Fe (2017) - Round of 16: Dolehide 7-5 6-3
Australian Open (2022) - First round: Collins 6-1 6-3
Guadalajara (2022) - Round of 64: Collins 6-4 6-1
Roland Garros (2024) - First round: Collins 6-3 6-4
Collins comfortably leads her head-to-head with Dolehide 5-1, even if their first meeting saw the younger American pull out early.
Still, the retiring player's dominance over the following encounters has been underscored by straight-set wins over the 25-year-old, whose only victory over the No. 11 seed came in 2017.
Both players have met in two Majors, with Collins claiming their recent match-up at the first round of this year's Australian Open.
The soon-to-retire American also has two Tour-level wins this year to Dolehide's none.
We say: Collins to win in two sets
While Dolehide will be motivated to end her three-match losing run against Collins, the No. 11 seed is anticipated to avoid an early exit in Tuesday's all-American first-round match and secure a round-two meeting with Cristina Bucsa or Sara Errani.
