Danielle Collins Discusses Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek Doping Saga as She Shares Honest Take on Medication Practices

From the verge of potential retirement to lifting the United Cup with Team USA. That’s a comeback story everyone wants to cherish, right? It’s the American Danielle Collins who is making waves in the new season after her physical resilience against rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis. But did she stop there? Absolutely not! Despite the recent clashes over the controversial handshake, the American seems sympathetic towards fellow WTA colleagues Iga Swiatek and ATP pro-Jannik Sinner over their doping case as she opened up about her medication practices. 

2024 can be remembered as a year that saw two high-profile doping cases in tennis, involving Swiatek and Sinner. For the Italian, he tested positive twice in March by an anabolic agent. However, his results were kept under wrap until August when the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted his explanation. He claimed that a trainer inadvertently exposed him to the substance during a massage, after using a cream on his injured finger.

Similarly, Swiatek also failed an out-of-competition drug test in August, resulting in a one-month ban. However, her case was not made public till November after her withdrawal from three tournaments. And, as AO stars tomorrow, Danielle Collins shared her remarks about her medical practices aimed at the doping saga.

In a recent Pre-Event press conference, Collins was asked about her medicinal practices. She said, “I’m not too worried about my supplements. I feel like if you can get your supplements from trustworthy brands and get that approved there shouldn’t really be an issue”

She also added her sympathy for both Sinner and Iga. “And that’s just my take on it and obviously I empathize with the people that have struggled with supplements and contamination. I’m sure that’s a real thing but honestly, that hasn’t been a big concern to me cuz I feel like I have a lot of trust in my daily vitamins and the stuff that I am using. I feel like all the third-party testing they’re doing now and making sure that all of those factories where they are producing these products they’re pretty stringent on what can be made in those facilities and so it hasn’t been something that I’ve been fearful of.” she added.

Collins had to go through a tough physical battle throughout her journey. And it all started back in 2019 when she was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. This is a physical condition that causes pain and swelling throughout the body’s joints. And as she began treating the cause with strategic planning in place, another hurdle appeared. An emergency surgery for endometriosis in April 2021, where a tennis ball-sized cyst was removed. 

With just a couple of hours left of the Australian Open, Danielle Collins is getting ready to face Daria Snugur at the Margaret Court Arena. However, just before her first match, she shed some light on the infamous Iga Swiatek incident back in the United Cup.

‘I’ll also laugh at myself too’: Collins opens up about her infamous handshake with Iga Swiatek

The United Cup, which ended a couple of days ago, left us with yet another controversial topic. A controversial handshake! The following incident involved two tennis professionals, Iga Swiatek and Danielle Collins in the final! The infamous handshake took place just before the United Cup final when Team USA and Poland were about to handshake.

For the unversed, Collins had a battle with Swiatek at the Paris Olympics. Collins had to leave the court and retired from the match after taking a medical timeout while terming Swiatek as ‘insincere’. Now in the cup final, Collins resorted to a rolling eye gesture while skating hand with Swaitek and later took the Instagram adding “Didn’t know if you guys noticed this but… New year, same me” And just ahead of the AO, she shed light on that.

While talking at the press conference before the AO, the American added, “We all compete hard against each other and give it our all. Most of us are pretty cool about shaking hands with each other at the end of the day. I’m a human. I have situations I like, situations I don’t like, things that happen. All these memes keep coming up on Instagram of my face… my face says it all! But, you know, I’m just somebody that’s pretty genuine about what I’m thinking and feeling, and I’ll also laugh at myself too. I know I can be this way. It’s not always the greatest but I try to poke fun at myself and not take myself too seriously. I would encourage other people to do the same.”

The American international will start her campaign against Daria Snigur at the Margaret Court Arena. How far can you see her going into the tournament? Comment your thoughts below!