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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Elise Mertens vs Danielle Collins
Date: January 8, 2024
Tournament: Hobart International 2024
Round: Round of 32
Venue: Hobart International Tennis Centre, Hobart, Australia
Category: WTA 250
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize money: $267,082
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports
Elise Mertens vs Danielle Collins preview
Top seed Elise Mertens will begin her 2024 Hobart International campaign on Monday, January 8, against Danielle Collins, the former Australian Open finalist.
Mertens started her 2024 season at the Brisbane International last week. She beat Sloane Stephens in a tight three-set opening round match but was comprehensively beaten by second-seed Elena Rybakina in the Round of 16. She also competed in the doubles category alongside Su-Wei Hseih, losing in the first round to Greet Minnen and Heather Watson.
Danielle Collins also began her new season in Brisbane last week, reaching the Round of 16 just like Mertens. Collins beat compatriot Hailey Baptiste in the first round but succumbed to 15th seed Lu Zhin in a tight match that went the distance in the next round.
The pair will look to get off to a great start in a draw that looks extremely interesting. The winner could potentially face Tatjana Maria. The quarter also includes Peyton Stearns and Varvara Gracheva.
Elise Mertens vs Danielle Collins head-to-head
Elise Mertens and Danielle Collins have faced off five times, with the American leading their head-to-head 3-2. They played their first match in Wimbledon back in 2018, which Mertens won. The Belgian edged out Collins in their most recent duel at the US Open.
Elise Mertens vs Danielle Collins odds:
(Odds to be updated once they are released)
Elise Mertens vs Danielle Collins prediction
The highly anticipated first-round encounter will be a battle between Danielle Collins' powerful hitting and Elise Mertens' elite defense.
While both Mertens and Collins play an uber-aggressive baseline game and rely on their groundstrokes to wear out their opponents, Collins does possess the upper hand in this department.
Both players are also great net players and are not afraid to keep their opponents on their toes. Mertens would top this category.
Having started the new year off similarly, their matches promise to be an exciting watch. Both Mertens and Collins will look to get off to a good start as the final round of preparations for the Australian Open get underway.
Pick: Elise Mertens to win in three sets.
