World number nine Danielle Collins has postponed her plans to retire at the end of the 2024 season and will compete on the WTA Tour in 2025.
Collins, 30, has been taking advice about her “personal fertility journey” since her last match, a loss to Australian qualifier Olivia Gadecki at the Guadalajara Open in Mexico. . The American, whose retirement plans include starting a family while managing endometriosis, which affects fertility, said in a statement posted on Instagram: “I have recently met with some experts , to better understand what my best path forward is.
“Dealing with endometriosis and fertility is a huge challenge for many women and it’s something I’m actively dealing with, but I have full confidence in the team I work with. It just takes longer than I thought. Be long.
“So, the DANIMAL story is not over yet. I will be back on tour in 2025,” she said.
After reaching the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Collins withdrew due to an abdominal injury against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and lost four consecutive games after returning. Collins told a news conference after an unexpected comeback against compatriot Caroline Dolehead at the U.S. Open that her life away from tennis was affecting her ability to execute on the court.
“Honestly, I’ve had too many distractions outside of court,” she said. “Just going through life’s challenges and dealing with it.”
Until that difficult summer, Collins was having one of the best seasons of her career, returning to the WTA top 10 and winning 15 consecutive matches between March and May, including openings at the Miami and Charleston Opens. Won the championship. But it also brought struggles, as she repeatedly dodged questions about why she retired after playing so well.
“I love what I do, the opportunities and the doors it opens, but it’s not easy and I’m a homebody,” she told Competitor in Miami in March, before she defeated then-world No. 4 Elena Rybakina to win the title.
Now, she’s back in tennis. Collins is currently competing with Team USA in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, which will be held in Malaga, Spain, from November 13-20.
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Danielle Collins is on fire. Regardless, she will retire from tennis at the end of this year.
Analysis: How will Collins handle her unexpected return?
Analysis by tennis writer Charlie Eclare
The news came as a surprise to those who attended Collins’ final press conference at a major in August at the U.S. Open. By then, Collins was exhausted, unwell and seemed ready to say goodbye to professional tennis. Finally she stopped and said, “Yeah, sorry, I’m a little out of gas. I’m a little tired.
A turnaround seemed unlikely at that point, but here we are, and Collins’ approach and results next year will be fascinating to watch. Part of the reason she’s doing so well in early 2024 seems to be because she knows she won’t be able to do it for much longer. Will she reinvigorate herself next year by doing some of the things she thought would happen in the past, or will she struggle to find motivation now that she’s reconciled to retirement?
On top of that is the “fertility journey” that Collins refers to in her social media posts. This is a challenge that many women face, and Collins’ openness will inspire many, with everyone in tennis and beyond hoping that she can stay healthy and find the drive and energy that left her earlier on that sad Tuesday in New York. This year.
(Above: Shi Tang/Getty Images)
