Everything has its end. Although the time to say goodbye has not yet come, Danielle Collins will experience in this 2024 US Open the last Grand Slam of her career as a professional player. The American, currently ranked 11th in the world, does not change her plans despite achieving her best results in recent months. At 30 years old, with 8 years on the circuit, the American focuses on enjoying her final weeks of competition, knowing all the good things that await her once she decides to hang up her racket. Unlike most, Collins started playing tennis professionally much later, even though she first started playing at the age of 3, introduced by her father.

“One of the things I am most proud of in my career is the journey, from starting as a college athlete to carving my way to the top, earning it. Truly earning it. I know what sacrifices, sweat, and tears mean. Most of my success didn’t come until later, between my twenties and thirties. That seems unorthodox in the tennis industry,” Danielle confessed in an interview with The Guardian.

When did you realize you had made it?

“When I played the quarterfinals against Venus Williams at the Miami Open, the tournament in my city. It was my breakthrough year, 2018, and it was simply surreal. I remember seeing Venus and Serena in the locker room and talking to them, and I think I had tears in my eyes. And then going out to play against Venus in a huge stadium, with my friends and family there, was an incredible experience,” recalls the American.

“Being able to go through junior tennis with my parents was special. I know how hard it was, coming from a lower-middle-class family to afford this sport. My mother was a preschool teacher, and my father a landscaper, and they saved every penny they earned to take me to those weekend tournaments.”

A season filled with triumphs

“It’s very gratifying to end my career by winning some tournaments this year. One of the biggest goals of my career was to become an Olympic player, and I’ve achieved it. Usually, it’s the stories of young athletes that reach the top, but for us, the veterans, it’s not something people think about as much. It took me a little longer to achieve it, but playing in the Olympics will be some of the best memories on the court I’ll have for the rest of my life.”

Regarding the future

“The most important thing for me now is to adapt to life at home, have time to relax, and start a family. But I wouldn’t mind helping aspiring athletes rise. Honestly, if I could work with tennis players at any level, my favorites would be beginners. Surprisingly, I’m a very patient person. You wouldn’t say that watching me play professional tennis, but the truth is I’m very good at coaching beginners. It will be interesting to see what I end up doing, but in the short term, it will just be enjoying tennis for what it is, no longer as a profession.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Collins: “Es muy gratificante poder terminar mi carrera ganando torneos”