Unseeded Collins won against world number six and Charleston title holder Jabeur 6-3,1-6,6-3 in a match that lasted just over two hours. Five hours later, Collins returned and beat Stephens, winning the 2017 US Open, 6-2,6-2 in 71 minutes and is through to the quarterfinals of the clay court tournament.
– I can’t remember the last time I played five sets in one day. It was probably when I played in tournaments for children up to twelve years old, says Collins after the test of strength in the rain-affected tournament.
Jabeur is in a slump, losing its fourth straight opener and is 2-6 on the year.
– It is tough to play against players who have such confidence as Danielle and she plays really well, says Jabeur according to AP.
Upcoming opponent Mertens also played two games
In the quarterfinals, Collins will face 30th-ranked Belgian Elise Mertens, who also played two matches. First, Vavara Gracheva was defeated with 6-4,3-6,6-2 and then Elina Svitolina with 6-4,6-1.
Collins won the WTA-1,000 tournament in Miami on Saturday and rose from 53rd to 22nd in the rankings. If she wins in Charleston, she could rise to around 15th.
The 30-year-old has declared that she will retire at the end of the year. She suffers from a chronic inflammatory disease and is worried about not being able to get pregnant if she puts too much pressure on her body.
– I want to end with a crash, Collins has said.