CHARLESTON, SC — It would be difficult for Danielle Collins to script a better start to her farewell tour. In January, the St. Petersburg native announced she'll be retiring from the Hologic WTA Tour at the end of this season.
Apparently, she wants to go out with a bang. Collins has two wins in her last two tournaments, doubling her career total.
Immediately after winning the Miami Open on March 30, Collins drove herself to South Carolina for the Charleston Open. She proceeded to win six more matches, running her streak to 13 and earning her second consecutive tournament title.
"I mean, I guess I’m just a low-maintenance gal, right?" Collins joked after her win at Charleson. "I know hair and make-up’s waiting for me after this, but on the tennis court I guess I just don’t need that much."
Collins, 30, is ranked 15th in the world and is playing some of the best tennis of her career.
"I’ve been so happy to be playing at the level I’ve been playing," she said. "But to be able to back it up two weeks in a row has just been fantastic."
Collins, a two-time NCAA champion at Virginia, has faced her share of adversity since turning pro in 2016. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2019, and in 2021 she had surgery to address endometriosis—a condition that affects the lining of the uterus.
She said she wants to start a family and explore life away from competition. Collins added that the decision to retire isn't completely based on her medical challenges. She's been able to manage the physical aspect of her game, and she wants to end her career on a hot streak.
"With my set of challenges, it’s a very personal decision. It’s great that I’ve made the decision that is best for me," she explained. "I think that’s the way I want to go out. I want to go out with my best results. I know everyone has a different way of retiring and ending their career. But for me I want to try and go out and play my best tennis. It’s a really important life decision."
Nicknamed "Danimal," Collins has her sights set on helping other women with health challenges once her playing days are over.
"In this country, we have a lot of health inequity. That’s part of the reason I’m starting a charity at the end of the year to support women's health initiatives," she said when addressing her own health after the Charleston victory. "I want to be able to help women that are also facing those challenges because I think it’s not an easy thing to deal with."
Collins reached the finals of the 2022 Australian Open, which is her best grand slam result to date. Her next chance at a major will be at the French Open at the end of May. But Collins said she's looking forward to taking a little time off after a hectic two-week run.
"I feel like a kid at spring break," she laughed. "I feel like 'Whew!' A few weeks off from school. So, I’m excited. Yeah."
The Women's Tennis Association, or WTA, was founded by Billie Jean King in 1973 on the principle of equal opportunity. Based in St. Pete, it's the global leader in women’s professional sports.
The WTA is one of the world’s most recognizable and high-profile sports organizations, consisting of more than 1,600 players representing over 80 nations, all competing to earn WTA rankings points and prestigious tournament titles.
The Hologic WTA Tour is comprised of over 70 events and four Grand Slams, spanning 30 countries and regions across six continents with a global audience of more than 1 billion.
