"All of us have our things that we deal with" - Danielle Collins

Sunday, 01 May 2022 at 04:00

Updated at Tuesday, 03 December 2024 at 15:37

bySam Frape

Speaking to the media, the 2022 Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins has had her say on mental health in women's tennis.

The American is set to face former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu for what will be the pair's first meeting this Sunday.

The young Canadian had a six-month hiatus from the sport to deal with mental health issues before making her comeback last week in Stuttgart.

Ahead of their meeting, Collins praised Andreescu, as well as Naomi Osaka, for bringing the topic of mental health in tennis to the forefront.

"I think in the last couple of years we’ve seen a lot more conversation around mental health and it’s been great to see more players speak up about it and be honest because I think from an outsider’s perspective, tennis is a very exciting, glamorous world we seem to be living in and it’s not always that way."

Going on to talk about the importance and the commonplace nature of struggling with one's mental health, Collins expressed her thoughts about how important it is to open up and talk about what you are going through.

"I think all of us have our things that we deal with. And I think any time people can be open and honest about what they’re going through it might help someone that’s really struggling."

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"So I admire both of those women for prioritising that and being so willing to share their experience in such a genuine way. I admire her for that and certainly admire her for the game that she plays and the way she fights on court and the incredible athlete that she is and the achievements that she’s had. I think we’ll have a good battle against each other."

No one is immune from potentially suffering mental health problems, with tennis players' often not given the fitting focus or limelight that it naturally plays in their everyday lives.

Whether it be loss of form, injuries, or constantly being the center of attention, the world's best have their fair share of problems.

Things have started on the right trajectory in recent years, with more and more players opening up when they have felt able, but more work remains left to do to make sure everyone has the right environment in which they feel happy and able to perform at their best.