Tough Opening US Open Matches For Retiring Americans

The US Open is the last Grand Slam of the calendar year. As a result, players planning to retire at the end of the year know that this is their final US Open. Two American women are calling it a career at the end of 2024: Danielle Collins and Shelby Rogers.

Both step onto the courts at the Billie Jean King USTA Tennis Center knowing these will be the final on-court memories they will make at the US Open. Sentimental fans want to see these players as much as possible in New York. That could be a problem since both have tough first-round matches. How will these women fare?

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Danielle Collins Faces Caroline Dolehide In First Round

Danielle Collins is ranked 11th in the world. Her career-highest rank was 7th in July 2022. She is 30 years old, a former NCAA Champion (Virginia), from St. Petersburg, Florida. Her best US Open finish was in the fourth round last year. Collins told fans at the beginning of the year of her retirement decision.

In a repeat of the 2024 French Open, Collins faces fellow American Caroline Dolehide in the first round of the US Open. Collins owns the head-to-head record with a dominant 5-1 lead. She also had a blockbuster spring and played the best tennis of her career.

At the Paris Olympics, Collins had a heat stroke. She has been slow to return to training because of the long recovery she needed. Dolehide is 12-18 in 2024. In normal circumstances, this match would be relatively stress-free for Collins.

Their US Open match is scheduled for 11 AM ET on Tuesday, August 27. The temperature is expected to be in the low 80s but with the 60% humidity factored in, it will feel like the low 90s. Those weather conditions do not favor Collins given her recent heat stroke.

Shelby Rogers Faces Jessica Pegula In US Open Round 1

Shelby Rogers is 31 years old and currently ranked 178th. Rogers is a South Carolina native whose career highest rank was 30th in August 2022. Rogers has only played in ten tournaments this year dealing with injuries. She announced her retirement after the US Open days ago citing persistent back pain as one of the reasons.

Rogers' first-round opponent is Jessica Pegula, the hottest woman on the WTA Tour. Pegula won the Canadian Open two weeks ago and finished as a finalist last week at the Cincinnati Open. Rogers and Pegula have only faced each other one other time. In 2021, Pegula won in straight sets.

Both have dealt with injuries this year and are fan favorites. Fans will not want to cheer against either one. Each is a previous US Open quarterfinalist. Their match is on Tuesday, August 27 at 9 PM ET.

Multiple All-American Women's Matches

The unfortunate thing about both matches is that they are all-American clashes. American players get the hometown support, but fans will be divided in these matches. Pegula is originally from the Buffalo area so she will have plenty of loud and supporting fans in the stadium supporting her. Rogers will have the primetime audience watching her and her fanbase cheering for her. That will add to the emotions she is likely feeling about her announcement, career, and this tournament.

American Pete Sampras was the last player to win the final Grand Slam he participated in at the 2002 US Open before his retirement in 2003. Could Danielle Collins or Shelby Rogers pull off the seemingly impossible and win a maiden Grand Slam on her way to retirement?

Watch the US Open from first ball on August 26 through the finals on September 8. Day and evening matches will be televised on ESPN.

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Article originally written by Wendi Oliveros