Danielle Collins misses big rankings chance after shock French Open loss
Danielle Collins has missed the chance to potentially reach a new career-high in the WTA Rankings after a shock round-two loss at the French Open.
American No 3 Collins entered Roland Garros under huge expectations, having played the best tennis of her career in what is her final year on the WTA Tour.
After being ranked outside the top 50 just a few months ago, back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston helped propel Collins back into the top 20.
And after a strong European clay season, which saw her reach the Italian Open last four and then the final in Strasbourg last week, the 30-year-old returned to the top ten for the first time in two years.
Collins was seeded 11th at Roland Garros – where she reached the last eight in 2020 – and many predicted a blockbuster quarter-final against world No 1 Iga Swiatek.
Read More: WTA Rankings – Iga Swiatek maintains healthy lead, Danielle Collins +2 Madison Keys +4, Peyton Stearns +19
But the American is now out of the tournament after being stunned in three sets by Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic.
Collins won the first set and then served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, but could not close out the contest.
And Danilovic made her pay, with the Serbian defying her current ranking of world No 125 to prevail 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-4 against an opponent 115 places above her.
In the third round of a major for the first time, Danilovic will face the unseeded Donna Vekic for a place in the fourth round.
Danilovic’s Day #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/3szMYEkiaX
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 30, 2024
Rankings blow
Collins reached a career-high of seventh in the WTA Rankings following her run to the Australian Open final two years ago, and looked well placed to at least match that with a solid run at Roland Garros.
And the world No 10 is, as it stands, still set to move up one spot to ninth once the rankings update at the conclusion of the event – potentially putting her in a good position for the grass season.
But that rise is now dependent on Ons Jabeur, with the Tunisian guaranteed to move back above the American in live rankings should she win her round three clash against 31st seed Leylah Fernandez on Friday.
And with several players ranked just below Collins still in the draw – including Madison Keys, who beat her in the Strasbourg final – the Miami Open winner could be back outside the top 10 in two weeks.
While that would by no means be a disaster, considering the huge inroads she has made since March, her chances of reaching a new high of world No 6, or potentially progressing even higher, have decreased significantly.
