Danielle Collins will not play on the WTA Tour beyond 2024, but some people have yet to accept her retirement decision.
In January, Collins announced that this would be the final season of her professional career shortly after losing to Iga Swiatek in the second round of the Australian Open.
The American did not specify exactly when her final tournament would be but grew increasingly irate when she was pressed to justify her decision almost every time she went to a press conference.
In fact, Collins' retirement call has coincided with a welcome return to form. After Indian Wells, she won 15 straight matches, culminating in back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston, respectively.
She earned three Top 10 wins in that run, the biggest of which came in her home state of Florida. There, she defeated World No. 4 Elena Rybakina in the Miami Open final to lift her biggest career title.
Her undefeated streak ended in Madrid when she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the round of 16. Recently, Collins stated that it is "bizarre" that society and several people within her inner circle have not come to terms with her decision.
"I think society and even the people who follow my life closely have had a difficult time accepting the fact that I’m retiring, and it’s really bizarre!"
"I’m going to be 31 at the end of the year, and that’s around the time when people make that milestone! It’s like, give me a break! Let me retire and have a family in peace!"
The 30-year-old has reiterated that her immediate objective post-retirement is to start a family. Collins is currently in Rome, where she was seeded a high of 13th at the Italian Open and will play Anna Blinkova in the second round on Friday.
She is targeting a return to the world's Top 10 (currently ranked 15th) and could do so with a deep run in the Italian capital.
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