Rogers reaches third round at French Open with 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Collins

French fans were treated to an all-American clash between two accomplished players. Danielle Collins, twice the NCAA singles champion and world #9, reached the final at the Australian Open in January. Her best performance at Roland Garros was in 2020 when she reached the quarters.

Shelby Rogers reached a career high ranking of #36 this past January but is currently ranked #50. Rogers, with just one quarterfinal appearance in seven events this season, clearly was in a bit of a slump. She is, however, no stranger to the terre battue, having reached the quarters in 2016.

This was their third tour-level meeting having split the first two on hardcourt. Collins won the toss and elected to serve. The twenty-eight-year-old Floridian committed three consecutive errors and dumped serve following a forehand swing volley winner from Rogers.

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Consolidating the break was anything but easy as Rogers faced three deuce and break point but battled to hold for 2-0 with well-struck serves. Collins hit her first ace and forehand down the line winner but dropped serve following a double fault and five additional unforced errors.

Rogers maintained her aggressive court position and effectively utilized the moon ball as she consolidated the break for a commanding 4-0 lead. Collins chatting to herself, refused to yield and held to 30 behind two outstanding backhands while Rogers dumped serve following two unforced errors and two forehand winners her opponent.

The momentum had shifted ever so slightly as Collins opened the 7th with a crisp crosscourt forehand winner and held to 30 when Rogers netted the return. Rogers played an abysmal game as she gifted two consecutive double faults and lost serve when she overcooked a forehand.

Level at 4-4, Collins stalked the baseline with amplified intensity, but it was to no avail as she dropped serve following aggressive returns from Rogers. The Mount Pleasant, South Carolina native made 4/5 first serves and closed out the set to 15 with an outstanding serve out wide.

Collins served first in the second and immediately came under fire as the unforced errors continued to accrue. Rogers utilizing the slice, earned triple break point, converted with a spectacular forehand down the line and consolidated for 2-0 with great depth and exceptional body serves.

The world #9 regrouped admirably, holding at love with an incredible forehand down the line. Rogers opened the 4th with an ace out wide as she held at love for 3-1. Collins gifted two forehand errors and dumped serve when she missed wide with another.

Rogers, closing in on the third round, opened and closed the 6th with blistering down the line  backhands for 5-1. Collins serving to stay in the match, opened with a huge inside-in forehand and held at love when her opponent netted the return.

Rogers committed two unforced errors off the backhand and dropped serve with another on the volley. Collins failed to capitalize on the lifeline she had been gifted as she soon faced triple match point and lost serve, the set and match with another mishit forehand.

Shelby Rogers played with controlled aggression and conviction as she dispatched the 9th seed. She covered the court brilliantly and with exceptional shot selection, consistently frustrated her opponent. Next up, the 20th seed Daria Kasatkina who defeated Rogers in their only previous meeting five years ago at the Miami Open.