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"This is my first WTA 1000 (title) and I worked
so hard, it has taken me a bit longer than a lot of the other
players," said 30-year-old Collins of her triumph.
"This whole week has been tough - I have played against some of
the best players in the world, including being out here and
sharing the court with Elena in the final," Collins said.
"Thank you to the fans. I've played a lot of tennis and in a few
finals, but nothing compares close to this."
Collins, who said in January she would retire from tennis at the
end of the season, was the surprise winner at the East Coast
tournament, going one step further than her performance at the
2022 Australian Open when she reached the final.
She joins Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, three-times champion
Venus Williams, eight-times winner Serena Williams and Sloane
Stephens as the sixth American woman to claim the crown.
The unseeded American relied on her strength to hold the lead at
the start, converting break points against Rybakina, who kept
levelling the score, before closing out the opening set with a
stunning cross-court backhand winner on the hour mark.
Rybakina refused to go quietly after her opponent took a 2-0
lead in the second set and worked her way back, capitalising on
unforced errors to draw level at 3-3.
However, the American regained the advantage after saving three
break points to take the seventh game with the former Wimbledon
champion unable to recover.
Rybakina, who lost last year's Miami final to Petra Kvitova,
missed Indian Wells this month with a gastrointestinal problem.
She returned to the courts and put in a superb run, beating
Belarusian Victoria Azarenka in three sets in the semi-finals,
but admitted she did not expect to fight for the title.
"We didn't expect coming here to be in the final, to be honest,
but it was a great two weeks. A lot of tough matches and great
battles," the 24-year-old said.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Ken
Ferris)
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