Danielle Collins: World No. 9 makes retirement U-turn, will continue in 2025 - ‘Story has not reached its conclusion'
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Published 18/10/2024 at 09:53 GMT+1
World No. 9 Danielle Collins has announced that she will continue to compete on the WTA Tour in the 2025 season after changing her mind about retiring from the sport. The American wrote on social media that "things have not gone as planned" with her ambition to start a family, as she struggles with "issues around my endometriosis and other health challenges".
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Danielle Collins has reversed her decision to retire from tennis at the end of the season, declaring that “the DANIMAL story has not reached its conclusion”.
The world No. 9 announced earlier at the start of the year that she would step away from the sport at the end of the year to try and start a family.
However, the 30-year-old posted on Instagram that “things have not gone as planned” due to the “massive challenge” of endometriosis, which can affect fertility.
“It’s been a stressful time with these horrific hurricanes that wiped through Florida, and on top of it I’ve been dealing with some issues around my endometriosis and other health challenges,” Collins wrote.
“While I was very excited and eager to wrap up my tennis career on a high note this year and jump head-first into my next chapter of life, things have not gone as planned.
“In addition to managing some lingering health challenges the past few months, I’ve recently been seeing a handful of specialists to better understand what my best path forward is to achieve my ultimate dream, starting a family.
“Dealing with endometriosis and fertility is a massive challenge for many women and something that I am actively traversing, but I am fully confident in the team I am working with. It is just going to take longer than I thought.
“So, the DANIMAL story has not reached its conclusion. I will be back on tour in 2025.”
Collins has enjoyed the best season of her career since announcing her decision to retire.
She won the first WTA 1000 title of her career in Miami in March and backed it up immediately by claiming the crown in Charleston.
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While a run to the last 16 at Wimbledon was her best effort at a major this year, the 2022 Australian Open runner-up has been encouraged by her form.
“While there are no guarantees in life, I hope to build on my 2024 momentum and keep playing until there is more certainty around my personal fertility journey,” she added.
“The only guarantee for now will be some more epic matches.
“Thank you to all of my fans and the amazing people behind me that have been so encouraging during this time and also to my closest friends on tour that have been supporting me every step of the way.”
Collins reached the quarter-finals of the women’s singles at the Paris Olympics in August, losing to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
But since then she has suffered opening defeats in Monterrey and Guadalajara either side of a disappointing first-round exit at her home Slam, the US Open, against Caroline Dolehide.
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