Collins Beats Alexandrova In Miami For First WTA 1000 Final; Rybakina Fights Off Azarenka

American Danielle Collins: American Danielle Collins advanced to her first career WTA 1000 final with a 6-3, 6-2 win over No.14 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Thursday night at the Miami Open.

The 2022 Australian Open finalist, unseeded in this tournament needed just 75 minutes to dispatch Alexandrova, who beat World No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.5 seed Jessica Pegula en route to her first semifinal in Miami.

The 30-year-old, bidding to be the first unseeded champion in Miami since Kim Clijsters in 2005, will face No.4 seed Elena Rybakina for the title at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. Collins has won two titles previously in her career, both in 2021.

Collins is the first American to reach the Miami final since Sloane Stephens in 2018 -- who won the title. Only four Americans have reached the final at this tournament in the last 15 years, with Collins and Stephens joining the Williams sisters in achieving that, WTA reports.

Earlier in the evening, World No.4 Rybakina advanced to her fourth final of the season after defeating No.27 seed Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 0-6, 7-6(2) in the semifinals.

Rybakina has enjoyed an outstanding start to her season on the hard courts, with titles in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi and her first WTA 1000 final of the year in Doha.

Last year, Rybakina was a win away from sweeping the Sunshine Double, falling to Petra Kvitova 7-6(14), 6-2 in the Miami final.

She is just the third player in the last 10 years to make back-to-back Miami finals, joining Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty, the youngest player to do so since Maria Sharapova in 2005-2006.