NEW YORK — Former world No. 7 Danielle Collins wasn’t interested in any type of celebration after her Grand Slam singles career came to an end Tuesday at the US Open.
Playing against fellow American Caroline Dolehide in the first round at Louis Armstrong Stadium, 30-year-old Collins squandered an early lead and fell in three sets, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Collins announced in January that this would be her final season on tour, and after the match tournament director Stacey Allaster appeared on court with flowers for Collins.
However, a clearly disappointed Collins did not want to partake in an on-court presentation. Instead, she appeared to wave off Allaster and walked off court. Moments later, and still wearing her match clothes, Collins explained to reporters during her postmatch news conference that she had previously declined such an opportunity when asked.
“I’m still in the doubles, and I had requested not to have any presentation on the court,” Collins said. “I’m not somebody that likes to celebrate my accomplishments. I’ve struggled with feeling guilt, you know, around success, and that’s something I have had to work on.
“So I’m not great, honestly, at having an all-about-me moment. I just … would prefer to do something like that maybe in private. But I feel like I’ve gotten enough attention to last a lifetime.”
She then compared it to a scene from the 2004 film “Meet the Fockers.”
“I was kind of thinking of that movie … where you know, Gaylord has a shrine and all his 18th-place medals,” Collins said with a smile. “I don’t want to be like Gaylord, so I think I’m good.”
Collins, who is ranked No. 11, surprised the tennis world when she revealed she would be retiring at season’s end. The two-time NCAA singles champion reached the final of the 2022 Australian Open and has won four WTA titles in her career, including two — in Miami and Charleston — following her announcement this year.
Despite many questions about whether she would reconsider given the success she has had this season, Collins has been steadfast in her decision. She has cited her desire to become a mother and her health challenges as a result of having endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
In an interview with ESPN ahead of the French Open in May, Collins said she was grateful to be able to make the decision about when her career was ending.
“I’m not somebody that likes to celebrate my accomplishments. I’ve struggled with feeling guilt, you know, around success, and that’s something I have had to work on. So I’m not great, honestly, at having an all-about-me moment. I just … would prefer to do something like that maybe in private. But I feel like I’ve gotten enough attention to last a lifetime.”
Danielle Collins
“I want to go out really playing on a high level, and I want people to remember me for the tennis that I was playing,” Collins said. “Some players are almost forced into retirement, due to an injury and then falling out of the top 100, and that defines the end of their career. This has been really empowering in the way that I’ve been able to make the decision to retire on my own terms and have the ability to choose. I could choose to continue to play, but I’m choosing to retire.”
Collins made her first Olympic team this year and played in Paris in singles and doubles. During the Games, however, she suffered a heat stroke and strained her abdomen. She missed the hard-court US Open tuneup events in Toronto and Cincinnati as a result and returned to competition in Monterrey only last week.
Collins said she had “minimal preparation” ahead of the US Open but did her best.
“No one out here is immune to having bad days,” Collins said. “I’ve physically really been through it since the Olympics, so it’s been a struggle.”
Collins is slated to play in the doubles draw alongside Caroline Garcia, and the duo will face American pair Anna Rogers and Alana Smith in the first round.
Collins also said she hopes to play the rest of the season as planned but isn’t certain she’ll be able to.
“You never know with life’s challenges and, you know, health stuff,” she said. “We’ll see.”