Madison Keys overpowers compatriot Collins to win Strasbourg Open title
Madison Keys won an all-American final in Strasbourg, beating Danielle Collins 6-1, 6-2 to lift her first title of the season
Madison Keys wins the 2024 Strasbourg Open title © Chryslene Caillaud / Panoramic
Madison Keys overawed her fellow American Danielle Collins in the final of the Strasbourg Open, winning 6-1, 6-2 to claim her first WTA title of the season and put a dent in Collins’ otherwise superb final season on tour.
It is Keys’ eighth career title and her first on the red clay of Europe, with her only other title on this surface coming on the green clay of Charleston back in 2019.
Collins, in her extraordinary final season on tour, was seeking her fifth career title and her third of the season in what is already a career-best year for the American.
But the Floridian looked out of sorts from the start, as a dialled-in and clinical Keys took full advantage and sprinted to the title in what is a perfect tune-up the day before the start of Roland-Garros.
clinical keys overawaes Collins to sprint to the title
Keys broke three times without reply in the opening set to cruise to a 6-1 victory, before moving a break up early in the second.
In the next game, Collins finally got her first break of the match, restoring parity in the fifth game of the second set, only for Keys to hit straight back with her fifth break of the contest.
In the final game of the match, Collins saved four break and match points from 0-40 down on her serve when trailing 5-2 before Keys converted her fifth to seal a comprehensive victory.
After announcing in January that 2024 would be her last season in a typically unorthodox, off-the-cuff comment following an agonising loss to Iga Swiatek at the Australian Open, Collins has put together a magnificent run.
Coming into today’s final, Collins was on a 22-2 win-loss streak since the start of the Miami Open two months ago.
Only Aryna Sabalenka had beaten her during this period, twice getting the better of the American to knock her out of Madrid and Rome.
But today, an excellent performance from Keys handed Collins just her third defeat in 25 matches as the former US Open finalist bettered her opponent in every department.
roland-garros up next, with both Keys and collins in fine form
Collins, a good friend of Keys, paid tribute to her compatriot in a warm and self-effacing runners-up speech.
“What a special week to play one of my long time friends, Madi. We.ve known each other since we were 10 years old. We used to be pen pals and write each other little letters, some incredible memories,” Collins said.
“I never like losing in the finals, but if I’m going to lose to someone, I don’t mind losing to you, because you know, we’re American buddies.”
Similarly, Keys then paid tribute to Collins and her remarkable recent form as she collected the winner’s trophy.
“Danielle, you’ve had the most incredible few weeks. I’ve absolutely loved cheering you on and watching you beat basically everyone who stood in your way,” she said.
“It’s been amazing to see that. Congratulations on another really great week.”
Both women will now turn their attention to Roland-Garros, which gets underway tomorrow, with high hopes for what they can achieve at the year’s second Grand Slam.
With Collins winning Charleston, and Keys making at least the last eight in her previous three clay-court tournaments, both players can expect a good run in Paris.
Keys, as she should, will no doubt enjoy tonight and soak up a highly encouraging title run before wiping the slate clean for another tilt at a Grand Slam title in the French capital.
