“Thanks for the shout-out” Jimmy Connors acknowledges Danielle Collins’ tribute to him during her first-round match at the 2022 US Open

“Thanks for the shout-out” Jimmy Connors acknowledges Danielle Collins’ tribute to him during her first-round match at the 2022 US Open

Danielle Collins and Jimmy Connors

World No. 19, Danielle Collins continues to have a great slam year. She stunned Two-time US Open champion, Naomi Osaka in the first round, defeating her 7-6 (5), 6-3. The American tennis star reached the final of the Australian Open this year but lost to Ashleigh Barty in straight sets. Still, Collins found a way to cross the first-round hurdle at the last grand slam of the year.

The first set was close but overall Collins had a big second serve win percentage. She converted 3 of the 5 break points while Osaka missed a lot of chances and was able to convert only 2 of her 8 break points. After the rigorous match, Collins took a sigh of relief and said in the press conference, “Yeah, just really over the moon about being able to get through this first round because I don’t think most players want to face Naomi in the first round.”

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Always give it your all: Jimmy Connors praises Danielle Collins’ first-round win

Danielle Collins
Danielle Collins

8-time grand slam champion, Jimmy Connors, tweeted his congratulations for Collins. Connors praised her tenacity and told her to always give it her “all”. He encouraged her to keep grinding and said hello to her father. Jimmy Connors is a 5-time US Open Champion himself.

Danielle Collins further reflected on her win saying, “I lost to Naomi three times before, so going into the match I had a lot of information on what I kind of needed to do better, areas I could improve,” Collins said, adding, “I think I did those things and played overall pretty well. I got lucky in some big moments. But I was working really hard for the points. She wasn’t giving me a ton much free ones.“

She further added, “Really overall I think it was a solid match, a high level of tennis from both of us. To kind of come out here, play a tough opponent first round, someone that’s won two Grand Slams here, it’s not easy.”

She will face Cristina Bucsa in her second-round match at the Flushing Meadows.

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