Abu Dhabi Open: Ostapenko vs Collins Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Abu Dhabi Open as Jelena Ostapenko takes on Danielle Collins in the first round on Monday, February 6, 2023.

Will Jelena Ostapenko keep her hot start to the year at the Abu Dhabi Open? Or will Danielle Collins upset the fifth seed? It is a mouthwatering opener between two powerful players on the WTA roster. Who will prevail?

Jelena Ostapenko produced her best showing at the Australian Open, reaching the quarterfinals of the year’s first Grand Slam for the first time in her career. Ostapenko’s run included a stonking win over Coco Gauff in the fourth round in the Latvian’s most accomplished performance so far in 2023. Can she continue her recent renaissance at the Abu Dhabi Open when she takes on Danielle Collins?

With the points at last year’s Australian Open coming off, Danielle Collins has cascaded down the rankings by 29 spots – the biggest fall in the top 100. The 2022 Australian Open finalist finds herself at No. 40 with a 4-3 win-loss record in this brand-new season. But it is pertinent to note that Collins has lost to Elena Rybakina (twice) and Veronika Kudermetova – both members of the Top 20.

Jelena Ostapenko leads Danielle Collins 1-0 in their head-to-head. The Latvian won that meeting on the hard courts of Miami in 2018 in Collins’ breakthrough tournament on the WTA Tour. Ostapenko was in devastating form in Melbourne, but I feel like a two-week gap could derail her momentum. She’s the kind of player who thrives on a winning streak and this could be a potential banana skin for the Latvian.