Italian Open 2024: Aryna Sabalenka vs Danielle Collins preview, head-to-head, prediction and pick

Fixture: (2) Aryna Sabalenka vs (13) Danielle Collins

Date: May 17, 2024.

Tournament: Italian Open 2024.

Round: Semifinals

Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy.

Category: WTA 1000.

Surface: Outdoor clay.

Prize money: $5,509,771

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Aryna Sabalenka vs Danielle Collins preview

Sabalenka at the Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2024 - Day Ten

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka will square off against 13th seed Danielle Collins in the semifinals of the 2024 Italian Open on Friday (May 17).

Sabalenka is a force to be reckoned with on the main tour, having amassed 24 wins from 30 matches so far. She won the Australian Open while being the runner-up at the Madrid Open and the Brisbane International.

The Belarusian started her campaign in Rome with a solid win against Katie Volynets. She then outfoxed the likes of Dayana Yastremska, Elina Svitolina, and Jelena Ostapenko en route to the last four. Sabalenka defeated the Lativian Ostapenko 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 12 minutes.

Collins at the Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2024 - Day Ten

Danielle Collins, meanwhile, has been one of the most in-form players on tour over the last three months. She's chalked up 28 wins from 36 matches so far, including title-winning runs in the Miami Open and the Charleston Open. She also reached the fourth round in Madrid, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in a grueling three-set match.

The American began her campaign in Rome by cruising past Anna Blinkova and Caroline Garcia in the first couple of matches. She then outmuscled the likes of Irina Camelia Begu and Victoria Azarenka en route to the semifinals. Collins defeated the veteran Azarenka in one hour and 44 minutes, 6-3, 6-4.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Danielle Collins head-to-head

Sabalenka leads the head-to-head against Collins 5-0. The most recent encounter between the two came in the fourth round of the Madrid Open, with the Belarusian winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Danielle Collins odds

Player Name	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Aryna Sabalenka	-160	-1.5 (+140)	Over 21.5 (-135)
Danielle Collins	+130	+1.5 (-200)	Under 21.5 (-105)

All odds sourced from BETMGM.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Danielle Collins prediction

Collins at the Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2024 - Day Ten

We saw a high-quality encounter between Sabalenka and Collins at the Madrid Open and we could see another exciting fixture take place in Rome. While the Belarusian will enter the match as the overwhelming favorite due to her superior head-to-head record and current form, Collins' current run of form should not be written off.

Despite being out of form in the last couple of months, Sabalenka has turned things around during the claycourt swing. She looks poised to be nearing her best form and has a reputation of dominating most opponents on court. The Belarusian likes to play an aggressive brand of tennis and has a solid all-around game.

Collins, on the contrary, has garnered 19 wins from her last 20 matches. Her only loss during this spell came against Sabalenka this month, in the Madrid Open. She will not only be keen to avenge her loss but will also know what to expect from the Belarusian. Collins is known for her resilient all-around game and high-tactical acumen on court.

Ultimately, the player who recovers well and holds their nerve during crucial moments will have the upper hand in this bout. Considering their record on clay and head-to-head account on tour, Sabalenka will be a slight favorite to come out on top. However, Collins should be able to dig deep and find a way to get past the Belarusian second time of asking this month.

Pick: Collins to win in three-sets.