Collins through to Charleston semi-finals as winning run continues

Danielle Collins is doing her utmost to go out with a bang in her final season on the WTA Tour as she looks to add another title to her haul after reaching the semi-finals of the Charleston Open.

World number 22 Collins, who won her first Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open last month, beat Belgian Elise Mertens 6-3 6-4 in Friday's quarter-finals to claim her 11th successive win on the tour.

The 30-year-old former Australian Open runner-up announced in January she would be quitting the sport in 2024 and that she hoped to start a family.

"This is my last year, and I want to go out with a bang and just play my best tennis and do the best that I can," the American told reporters.

"I think you’re always striving to play your best tennis, and sometimes it works out really well, and other times you hit bumps in the road. I think earlier in the year, and even towards the end of last year, I was playing really great tennis and had some close matches.

"Now I'm kind of dealing with those situations when the sets get closer a little bit better, and I feel like I'm also doing some things in the beginning of the matches, too, where I get off to a good start, and that's working in my favour."

Collins faces Greek third seed Maria Sakkari in the semi-final on Saturday.