“It’s not that hard to let us play tennis and be supportive,” Danielle Collins told the crowd during her match at the Monterrey Open. The match had already taken an unexpected turn by then, as Collins struggled to get past the youngster, Erika Andreeva, in the opening round. The match concluded with the World No. 11’s loss, sparking concerns about her grand slam prospects at the upcoming US Open. However, the former WTA player, Christina McHale, does not share the same doubts.

Danielle Collins’ dismal form in the round of 16 match in Monterrey (6-1, 3-6, 3-6) was far from her usual dominant performances. It appears as if the American player who ruled the tennis courts in Miami and Charleston earlier this year is now desperately searching for the same result but failing constantly. After a run to the final round in Strasbourg, the former World No. 7 is struggling to enter the semifinals of an event. First came a second-round loss in the French Open, followed by a round-of-16 exit from Wimbledon. In her first Olympic campaign in Paris, Collins was quite close to having a breakthrough by qualifying for the quarterfinals, but she couldn’t get past Iga Swiatek.

Collins’ recent results may have dampened expectations, but McHale has shown optimism in her gameplay. During the August 22 episode of the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, the host referred to Collins, saying, “Danielle Collins whose early first round (loss) and now she is going to the US Open for the last time. Maybe looking a little bit ahead to that…” However, McHale insisted Collins’ unpredictability makes her a great contender, regardless of her lead-up form. “I think Danielle is such a unique player that no matter what form she comes into a slam, she is dangerous no matter what.”

McHale, who was known for her booming’ groundstrokes and aggressive playing style, further continued, “She could have lost the previous week and not played very well, and then she will just light it up at a slam. Some of the tournaments we have seen this year as well. So, I don’t think she is going to be too worried based on that match.”

Last year, Collins’ US Open campaign came to a halt in the second round. The American player, who is going to retire after this season, would want to finish on a high and is all set for a first-round matchup against Caroline Dolehide. However, it seems that much like the disappointing outcomes in the last little while, controversies are also not leaving Collins’ side this season.

Danielle Collins’ dramatic exits from the previous two tennis events

During her debut performance in the Olympics, more than Collins’ defeat, her feud with Swiatek became the talk of the town. While the American player accused the Pole of being ‘insincere’ about Collins’ injury during the game and called her ‘fake,’ Swiatek kept wondering the reason behind the statement. “I don’t really feel like anybody needs to be insincere. They can be the way that they are. I can accept that, and I don’t need that fakeness,” said the 30-year-old player. But that’s not it.

Even during her last match against Andreeva in Monterrey, Collins found herself at the center of another controversy. This time with the noisy crowd during the match. During the third set of the match, upon hearing something in the stands, Collins threw her arms in the air, questioning the crowd, “What in the world?” and urging them to be more supportive.

However, as Danielle Collins prepares for the 2024 US Open, one would hope that it’s her game that creates headlines and not the controversies. Moreover, McHale’s vote of confidence in her favor also serves as a timely reminder of Collins’ untapped potential in tennis.