Collins advances to the first WTA 1000 final after defeating Alexandrova in Miami

American Danielle Collins reached the first WTA 1000 final of her career by defeating No. 14 Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-2 on Thursday night at the Miami Open. The 2022 Australian Open finalist, needed just 75 minutes to defeat unseeded Alexandrova at this tournament, who had defeated world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and No. 5 seed Jessica Pegula en route to her first semifinal in Miami.

The 30-year-old, who is trying to become the first unseeded champion in Miami since Kim Clijsters in 2005, will face No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina for the title on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. Collins has won two titles previously in her career, both in 2021.

Since Sloane Stephens, the 2018 champion, made it to the Miami final, Collins is the first American to do so. With Collins and Stephens joining the Williams sisters in the tournament final, just four Americans have advanced this far in the last fifteen years, according to the WTA report.

World No. 4 Rybakina advanced to her fourth season final by defeating No. 27 seed Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 0-6, 7-6(2) in the semi-finals earlier in the evening. Rybakina's hard court season has gotten off to a great start, as she won titles in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, where she also made her first-ever WTA 1000 final.

Last year, Rybakina fell one win away from winning the Sunshine Double, losing to Petra Kvitova 7–6(14), 6–2 in the Miami final. She is the third player in the last 10 years to make consecutive Miami finals, joining Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty, the youngest player to do so since Maria Sharapova in 2005–2006.