OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

August 8, 2023

Danielle Collins

Press Conference

D. COLLINS/E. Svitolina

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Danielle, congratulations on the win today. Can you give us the keys to your straight-set victory today?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah. I had two tough first round matches in the qualifying, so I got a lot of time on court, which is kind of what I needed, not having a lot of matches this year.

So after playing a few long matches, I really feel in rhythm, and I felt like today I was really on with my shots and was able to kind of take control of the points early and get off to a good start.

Then I was able to really just keep the momentum going forward.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. We just talked with Maria Sakkari that you will face in the next few days, and I asked her, I think that you both have some tough draws. What do you think about it?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, I mean, I think the depth in the women's side is so strong, so no matter who you play, you're going to play a really tough opponent.

I mean, I played qualifying, and I played the Wimbledon finalist, like, in the first round. So I think that's the beauty of the WTA is everyone is so good and brings such a high level.

Yeah, I'm sure both of us have had some tough first rounds this year, but we're both really talented and athletic, I guess. I think we'll put on a good show.

Q. Well, to be able to win against a player who is on a roll... Svitolina has been great since she's come back... how does that feel?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, she's definitely playing a really high level, and I kind of felt like in a lot of the points she was running down so many balls that a lot of players would normally not get to.

To be able to win those tough points and to be just solid from the baseline as well and not making a lot of mistakes and still playing with some aggression I think was key for me.

Yeah, I mean, any time you have her in the draw, you know you're going to really have to work for the matches. It's not going to be easy. I had to be really patient a lot of times in the match and really try to use the momentum in my favor.

Q. What do you have to worry about against Sakkari?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, I think Sakkari is kind of a similar game style to Svitolina in some ways. She runs down a lot of balls, anticipates well, so this was kind of a great match for me to kind of get prepared to play Maria.

Obviously her fighting spirit I feel like dictates so much of her play, and she's very versatile. She can play really aggressive. She can play defensive. She has a lot of tools under her belt.

Every time we play we have challenging matches, so it's definitely going to be a good match.

Q. You said that you prefer to have more matches this time, that you feel better. Usually the players prefer not to play a lot of matches until they come to semifinal, final. So it's opposite for you today.

DANIELLE COLLINS: You meaning like not playing a lot of matches this year?

Q. Yeah.

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, sometimes I joke with my coach, and I tell him the more I play, the worse I get. I don't know if that's really true, but it's a little bit of a cop-out (laughing) so that I can have more time at home and play a less demanding schedule.

Yeah, I love competing. I love being out here on tour, but I think I'm certainly not someone that's going to play 25 tournaments a year and a million matches.

I feel like I have a pretty good balance with my life and wanting to do other things. When I do show up, I try to bring my best. Yeah, I certainly try to emphasize more quality tournaments over quantity I would say.

Q. In the first match you were a little bit upset when the audience was cheering for Bouchard. Is it okay now for you?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, I mean, I don't know how upset I really was because it looked like I was having fun and enjoying the match, but I certainly love playing in an environment whether the crowd is for me or for the other person.

I would rather have that than have no one here. We certainly dealt with that during COVID, and that was challenging for all of us, so it's really nice to have full stadiums again and people coming out to the events. I would take that all day over not having people here.

You know, I think in general too, look, I've played in so many different types of crowds, and I feel like Canadians are so friendly. That could have been totally different.

I felt like while they were definitely for Genie, I think they really just wanted to see a good match. So, yeah, I like that type of energy and that spirit.

Q. In 2016 Bouchard was beaten by the Slovak player Kucova, and then she came up to the semifinal, and they called her Cinderella story. Maybe you will be the same?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, we will see. Yes, that's so sweet. Yeah, maybe it will be like the Barbie story, though, because the new "Barbie" movie is out.

Q. (Off microphone).

DANIELLE COLLINS: Well maybe we'll call this -- I don't know. I just watched the "Barbie" movie, so that was fun to see, but yeah, let's see how it goes. Fingers crossed.

Q. Those days they was against Kucova when she beat her, but then they cheer her all the way along to the semifinals, so it may change with the crowd here, too.

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah. I mean, I feel like I've had a lot of great fans at the matches these last couple of days.

I love playing in the big stadiums and with lots of people here. So, yeah, let's keep it going.