Two of the most in-form players during the clay-court season will battle for the WTA 250 title in Strasbourg. Danielle Collins is seeking to win her third title of the year, while Keys is looking for the eighth of her career. We at LWOT give our analysis and prediction for what should be a terrific final in France. But which player do you think will lift the title?
WTA Strasbourg Final Prediction
Danielle Collins vs Madison Keys
Head-to-head: Collins 1-1 Keys
Collins has won an incredible 22 of her last 24 matches, with Aryna Sabalenka the only player able to beat her during that run. She did not drop a set in her victories against Katerina Siniakova, Clara Burel and Anhelina Kalinina to reach this stage. Keys is also yet to lose a set, beating Xinyu Wang, Magda Linette and Liudmila Samsonova. Her opponent’s excellent form means Keys’ results have slipped somewhat under the radar. She also reached the semifinal in Madrid and quarterfinal in Rome before this tournament began.
The playing styles of both players are broadly similar. Each woman will try and be as aggressive as possible and dictate from the baseline. At her best, Keys has a better first serve and she will need to hit that shot particularly well in this matchup. The area where Collins can exploit her compatriot is in the backhand-to-backhand exchanges. This year’s Miami Open champion has one of the best backhands on the WTA Tour, while that is Keys’ weakest shot.
This is likely to be a tight affair. Keys certainly has a chance if her serve is working and if she can also dictate with her forehand, which she has been doing really well throughout the tournament. However, the Collins backhand is what gives her a slight edge in this matchup. On a relatively slow clay-court, it is difficult to see how Keys can consistently avoid that wing of Collins.
Prediction: Collins in 3
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
