Danielle Collins’ Early Retirement Scare at the 2018 Indian Wells Unveiled in an Honest Admission

Tales of success in professional tennis frequently center on tenacity, courage, and fierce drive. These attributes are best exemplified by Danielle Collins’ journey, which was particularly clear during the 2018 Indian Wells. For Danielle Collins, the event marked an enormous change in her career, not only propelling her into the public eye but also demonstrating the strength of resiliency and willpower that she possesses.

Collins’ victory in Indian Wells helped her advance into the top 30 of the WTA rankings and her semifinal appearance at the 2019 Australian Open. Discussing how this major win helped her in her professional career, Collins takes fans back to the 2018 Indian Wells tournament.

Danielle Collins reminisces about breakthrough performance at Indian Wells 2018

Stepping into Indian Wells in 2018 and consequently using her potential to win three WTA 100 matches propelled Danielle Collins to fame almost overnight. She made her top 100 debut by taking a gigantic leap from No. 17 to 93 during that one year, followed by more achievements in the next few years.

Recalling the game that made her shoot to fame, Collins said in a recent interview with Tennis.com, “Yeah, it was a lot of matches in those two events. I think I made quarterfinals in the 125K (Editor’s Note: correct), and then I ended up having a good win over Madison Keys and going on to do well in the 1000, so it was an exciting time.”

Collins turned her attention to professional tennis following an outstanding college career at the University of Virginia, where she also earned two NCAA singles titles. However, she revealed her backup plan in case her career does not take off during that year.

Read more: Indian Wells 2024: On the Verge of Retirement, Danielle Collins Faces No Respite After a Tough Singles Draw

“I was thinking in my head that year, if I didn’t make it into the Top 100, I’d be going to law school, so I was thrilled that I wasn’t going to be going into debt quite yet. It was the opposite,” she said in the interview.

However, after having a successful tennis career, Danielle Collins will now be moving forward to the next phase of her life.

Collins’ last appearance at Indian Wells 2024

The 30-year-old American professional tennis player made the shocking decision to retire as a WTA competitor earlier this year, and her last appearance will be at Indian Wells 2024. Danielle Collins opened up about the next step in her life and how she’s ready to pursue other interests, “Man, as much as I love it, I sure hope so [that it’s the last Indian Wells of her career], because I’m ready for my next chapter. It’s been a good run for me, but I’ve had other things that I want to accomplish.”

After witnessing Collins’ inspirational journey and her rise to stardom following her major breakthrough in 2018 at Indian Wells, fans are now eager to witness the next chapter of her life.

Watch more: Indian Wells 2024: Erika Andreeva vs Danielle Collins Preview; Head-to-Head, and Prediction