In a seismic upset at the 2025 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, world No. 35 Danielle Collins delivered a masterclass to oust defending champion and world No. 2 Iga Świątek 6-1, 7-5 in the third round on Saturday. The Foro Italico’s Campo Centrale, typically a fortress for Świątek’s clay-court dominance, became the stage for Collins’s fearless aggression, as she snapped the Pole’s 18-match winning streak in Rome completed matches. The American’s victory, her first over Świątek since the 2022 Australian Open, propelled her into the last 16 and sent shockwaves through the WTA, with the French Open looming just weeks away.
Collins, the No. 29 seed, came out blazing, dismantling Świątek’s game with relentless backhand winners and punishing returns. The first set was a rout, with Collins breaking Świątek’s serve four times to claim a 6-1 “breadstick” in just 33 minutes. “I told Iga she didn’t have to be insincere about, you know, my injury,” Collins said post-match, referencing their tense Olympic encounter last year where she accused Świątek of faking sympathy. The comment, rooted in their frosty history, added an edge to Collins’s performance, as she channeled her intensity into every shot. Świątek, usually unflappable on clay, struggled with her first serve, which Collins exploited ruthlessly, winning the last 11 points on Świątek’s serve in the opener.
The second set saw Świątek, a four-time French Open champion, fight to regain her footing. After breaking Collins in the opening game, she squandered chances to consolidate, allowing the American to level the score. Świątek saved a match point at 4-5 with a bold backhand crosscourt winner, but her resilience faltered as errors crept in. At 6-5, Collins earned three more match points, capitalizing when Świątek’s backhand sailed wide. “Oh my god, I was at the airport already,” Świątek had joked after a comeback against Collins in Melbourne last year, but in Rome, there was no escape. The 81-minute defeat marked Świątek’s earliest Rome exit since 2020 and dropped her to at least No. 4 in the WTA rankings.
Collins’s victory was no fluke. The 31-year-old, who reached the Rome semi-finals last year, showcased her trademark “Danimal” ferocity, ripping 22 winners to Świątek’s 14. Her 8-5 season record belies her ability to rise against top players, as evidenced by her 2024 Miami Open title. Next, she faces either Elina Svitolina or Hailey Baptiste, with a potential second WTA 1000 crown in sight. “Danielle went Danimal-mode,” a fan posted online, capturing the fervor around her performance. Her lone prior win over Świątek, a 2022 Australian Open semi-final upset, proved she could challenge the Pole, but doing so on clay—Świątek’s domain—was a career-defining moment.
For Świątek, the loss compounds a troubling clay season. After a 6-1, 6-1 thrashing by Coco Gauff in Madrid and a quarter-final exit to Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart, her 26-8 record in 2025 lacks a title. “I’m trying to eliminate old patterns,” she told Polish media before the match, hinting at mental and tactical struggles. Her vulnerable first serve, a recurring issue, was exposed by Collins’s aggressive returns, raising concerns as she heads to Roland Garros, where she’s won four of the last five titles. The Rome crowd, including football star Mats Hummels, watched in stunned silence as their three-time champion faltered.
The upset reshapes the Rome draw, opening opportunities for players like Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. Collins’s fiery performance, coupled with her post-match candor, reignited debates about her rivalry with Świątek, which has simmered since their Olympic clash. As Rome’s passionate fans launched a Mexican wave, the tournament’s drama reached new heights, with Collins emerging as a fearless contender in the Eternal City’s clay-court saga.
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