Roland Garros: Sofia Kenin vs Danielle Collins preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020

Match details

Fixture: Sofia Kenin vs Danielle Collins

Date: 7 October 2020

Tournament: Roland Garros 2020

Round: Quarterfinals

Venue: Paris, France

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Red clay

Prize money: Approx. €38,000,000

Match timing: Approx. 2 pm CEST, 5.30 pm I

Live telecast: USA - NBC / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

Sofia Kenin vs Danielle Collins preview

Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin takes on compatriot Danielle Collins in the quarterfinal of the 2020 French Open on Wednesday.

After an incredible start to the year, with titles at the Australian Open and in Lyon, Kenin marked the resumption of the tennis season with a slightly underwhelming campaign on the American hardcourts. The 21-year-old didn't start too well on European clay either, losing in the second round to Victoria Azarenka at Rome.

But the American has done much better at Roland Garros so far, reaching the quarterfinal stage in relatively undisturbed fashion.

Kenin has dropped a set in three matches this tournament, but was only seriously challenged in her fourth round encounter against home favorite Fiona Ferro. The American looked completely at sea in the first set before overturning the deficit to win 2-6 6-2 6-1.

Her quarterfinal opponent, fellow American Danielle Collins, finds herself in the middle of her career-best run at Roland Garros.

Danielle Collins at the 2020 French Open

The season as a whole has been poor for Collins, despite it starting with a semifinal berth at Adelaide. In fact, she won her first professional match since the lockdown in Paris itself.

The 26-year-old has has built on that to defeat the likes of Monica Niculescu, Garbine Muguruza and Ons Jabeur on her way to just the second Slam quarterfinal of her career.

Sofia Kenin vs Danielle Collins head-to-head

The quarterfinal matchup at Roland Garros is the fourth meeting between the two players. Perhaps unexpectedly, Danielle Collins leads the head-to-head 3-0 over Sofia Kenin.

The pair met in Adelaide earlier this year, where Collins prevailed 6-3 6-1 in the round of 16. Both previous matches between the pair came in 2017, in the semifinals of ITF tournaments at Norman and Tyler, and Collins prevailed in straight sets each time.

Sofia Kenin vs Danielle Collins prediction

Danielle Collins (L) and Sofia Kenin in the 2018 Fed Cup Final

On paper, World No. 6 Sofia Kenin would come into the match as the overwhelming favorite. But the 21-year-old has never taken a set off Collins, which suggests that she struggles to cope with her hard-hitting game.

Collins is one of the most imposing power players on tour, to say the least. And in her comeback win against Muguruza as well as her topsy-turvy three-set encounter against Jabeur, she showed that she has more than enough grit and mental fortitude to handle the top players.

Kenin on her part has shown plenty of efficient variations throughout the French Open, and has gotten better as the tournament has progressed. The Russian-born American has particularly used the drop shot to her advantage over the last few matches, which was key in disturbing the rhythm of Fiona Ferro in their fourth-round encounter.

Kenin's experience on the big stage might work in her favor on Wednesday, but Collins certainly has enough in her game to cause an upset.

Prediction: Sofia Kenin to win in three sets.