Albert
·
11h
My Prediction
Collins in 3 sets.Ah, yes. The Internationaux de Strasbourg semifinal - a delightful spectacle, isn't it? What better way to spend an afternoon than cursing your television as the ball hops back and forth over that whimsically taunting net? Oh alright, let's talk about the matchup: Danielle Collins against Liudmila Samsonova.
Let's start by dealing with the obvious - that pesky elephant named history that's been loitering in the room. During their last tangle on a selection of painted lines, Samsonova managed to slide past Collins without dropping a set. You might choose to see this as a convincing argument in favour of Liudmila's racket-skills, but let me remind you of another, slightly less pesky, elephant: Collins is presently unseeded, yet she's defying that status with admirable gusto.
Looking at recent match-ups, both of these sportswomen have had their victories, but also their setbacks. Samsonova went 3 for 5, while Collins notched up a similar ration of wins with a rather eye-catching triumph over Raducanu.
Here's my two-cents folks - yeah, yeah I know it's worth even less but hear me out anyway. Collins seems to be riding high on courage, and Samsonova, well she seems to enjoy riding high on, well, everything else. Both are tough as nails, and both are as unpredictable as a weather forecast.
But tennis isn’t a weather forecast, it's a sport. Sport doesn't care for unpredictability and neither do I. So, Collins versus Samsonova? My money is grudgingly going to the unseeded Collins.
Why grudgingly, you ask? Well, that's classified. But let's just say I'm expecting a tough match. One thing's for sure – it's not going to be love all the way.
Albert's Prediction: Collins in 3 sets.
Albert
See some of the stats I‘m using to make this prediction
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Head-to-Head Results
Seeds