Danielle Collins Turns to Tennis as a Coping Mechanism Amid Devastating Health Situation – ‘Being Gentle With Myself’

“The Danimal story has not reached its conclusion. I will be back on tour in 2025,” Danielle Collins’ words on Instagram last October sent shockwaves through the tennis world. After previously announcing her retirement in the 2024 season, the American decided she wasn’t ready to hang up her racket just yet. A year that began with plans to settle down and start a family has taken a sharp turn, with Collins now back on tour, ready to tackle a new season.

Collins’ return comes with a bittersweet backdrop. The 31-year-old revealed that her plans were disrupted by fertility struggles, leading her to prolong her career and embrace the joy of being on tour. She has already made appearances at the United Cup and the Adelaide International to kickstart her 2025 season. Now, with the Australian Open just around the corner, the question is: what’s her mindset heading into the first Grand Slam of the year?

In a press conference ahead of the tournament, the American shared how her approach to tennis has shifted. She explained, “I think I am being more gentle with myself, especially during this time, just because there are challenges that I’m facing right now, like personally with my health side of things. Obviously, that’s been really challenging for me mentally and emotionally. So just trying to look at this in a way of, like, I get to be on tour for a little bit longer and get to hang out with my friends and get to have that support. I get to travel and get to see places in the world that I still haven’t.”

The World No.11 also shared how she plans to make the most of her time on tour, as she said, “I’m hoping to maybe do something special at the end of this trip, like I usually do in Australia. I always try to pick a place I haven’t been to and go see that and just keep my mind off of the other stuff as much as I can. Obviously, I’m thinking about it and working with my doctors and trying to figure it all out, but as much as I can, I’m trying to enjoy it.”

Her return to tennis is partly due to her struggles with endometriosis, a condition that has caused her significant physical and emotional pain. Collins has undergone surgeries and treatments, but the challenges persist. She reflected, “Other times you feel like, ‘Wow, I’ve done treatment, I’ve had surgery. And yet this thing continues to be an issue.’ And you think, ‘How is it like this?’ But that’s the thing with endometriosis. It’s not like a tangible thing that you can just fix and that it can just go away. It doesn’t really go away.”

Despite these challenges, Collins is finding solace on the court and cherishing the camaraderie of being part of a team. At the United Cup, representing Team USA, she reunited with fellow stars like Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz. Collins’ playful side was on full display as she captured Gauff’s post-match interview on camera and even reportedly twerked after a match.

Her next stop was the Adelaide International, where she faced a tough first-round loss against Ons Jabeur. While the result wasn’t in her favor, Danielle Collins seemed to relish the opportunity to compete again as she shifted her focus to Melbourne.

As she has stepped onto the court again, the American has remained unapologetically herself.

Danielle Collins doesn’t want to ‘take herself too seriously’ in this new season

Danielle Collins hasn’t shied away from stirring up some controversy along the way. Her frosty handshake with Iga Swiatek at the United Cup sparked a social media frenzy, particularly when Collins rolled her eyes during the exchange. She later posted a screenshot of the moment with the caption, “New year, same me,” even making the image her Instagram profile picture.

The history between the two dates back to the Paris Olympics quarterfinals, where Collins retired due to injury and accused Swiatek of being “insincere.” Addressing the recent incident, Collins remarked, “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. If we can’t laugh at ourselves and take things light-heartedly, what the heck are we doing?”

She added, “So much gets taken out of context, and fans think they know players personally, they think they know the ins and outs of what takes place on a daily basis, but the reality is they really don’t. I’m just trying to make fun of myself now.”

As the 31-year-old embarks on the 2025 season, she is aiming for success at the Australian Open, where she achieved her best Grand Slam result by reaching the final in 2022. She will face her first-round opponent Daria Snigur of Ukraine on Monday.

With health struggles behind the scenes and rivalries heating up on the court, Danielle Collins’ journey promises to be anything but dull. Will the 31-year-old find her rhythm and make another deep run Down Under?