Danielle Collins will retire at the end of the year, and she's grown tired of having to explain and justify her decision often.
Earlier this year, Collins, who made the Australian Open final in her career, announced that she would retire after this season. The American has been a really great player at times; however, injuries contributed to her never fully realizing her potential.
It's a shame because Collins had all the tools needed to be a regular Top 10 player, but it just didn't work out. The American elected to call it quits after this year because her body was simply not cooperating enough for her to pursue this sport as seriously as she wanted to.
The choice was perfectly normal, yet Collins defended it often as many questioned her, including at the 2024 Miami Open. To her, it seems like something that wouldn't happen as much if she was a man.
"You know, I find it so interesting, because I kind of felt like when I was announcing my retirement, everyone has been so, like, congratulating me and so excited for me, but then on the other hand, I feel like I have had to justify my decision a lot. I feel like if I was a guy, I probably wouldn't have to justify it that much."
The choice to retire wasn't made lightly. It took her a long time to reach the conclusion she ultimately reached, and in the end, it's nobody's business. It's a personal choice, and her life certainly never was only about tennis, so letting go won't be the end of the world for her.
"I'm living with a chronic inflammatory disease that affects your ability to get pregnant, and so that's, like, a deeply, like, personal situation. I've kind of explained that from time to time."
"Yeah, I think it's a good question, but I think at the end of the day, like, my choice, like, this is my personal choice. This is so much more to do than just tennis and my career."
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