Danielle ‘Danimal’ Collins is savoring her final moments on the tennis court. The former Australian Open finalist announced earlier this year that 2024 would be her last season. “I’m going to be 31 at the end of the year…It’s like, give me a break! Let me retire and have a family in peace!” she opined in an interview with Tennis TV. With retirement looming, Collins has recently hinted at which tournament might be her final dance on the professional stage.

She easily defeated Elena Rybakina in the Miami final to win her maiden WTA 1000 championship. Collins defeated elite competitors like Ons Jabeur, Sloane Stephens, and Maria Sakkari to win the Charleston Open, demonstrating her sustained excellent form. On the other hand, she continued to win until she lost to eventual runner-up Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid after 15 straight sets. However, now that she is ready to take on the US Open, she dropped a hint on her Instagram story about her last event, talking about her participation in a Hong Kong tennis event.

In the IG Story from August 15th, Collins can be seen standing, wearing blue shorts with black tank top. The update has @hongkong_tennisopen tagged with the following words coming from the No. 10 ranked tennis player, “Hey, everyone, just wanted to say I am looking forward to coming to Hong Kong at the end of the year to compete. It’s going to be my first time in Hong Kong. It’s a place that I always wanted to travel, and I can’t wait to see you everyone there.”

However, while she is ready to go forward with her retirement, there is another side of the story. Collins, a Florida native, plans to retire at the end of the season amid two ongoing health battles, rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis.”Balancing two chronic inflammatory conditions when you’re a professional athlete is not an easy thing,” Collins told ABC News’ Eva Pilgrim in an interview that aired on “Good Morning America.”

Moreover, she reflected on how people are unwilling to accept her retirement call: “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!” On the other hand, while the American is quite firm on her decision, at the same time, a few months back she revealed her post-retirement plans.

Collins talks about her post-retirement plans

Collins is in a good position to succeed in a marathon because she is a tennis player who is renowned for her stamina and fortitude throughout extended matches. Many tennis enthusiasts are expected to attend the event in support of the athlete who won her first Masters tournament during her final season.

Regarding her post-retirement plans, Collins mentioned, “I’ve always enjoyed running… I haven’t gotten to do as much of it because my training doesn’t typically include a lot of long-distance running. But I’m training for a marathon at the end of the year. I’m not sure which marathon, but hopefully in November-December, when I finish up the season, I’ll have a couple of months just to focus on running.” That’s not it.

Numerous tennis players, like as Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Coco Gauff, have made use of their celebrity status to better the lives of underprivileged women. Collins has declared her plan to take a similar trip, following in their footsteps. After retiring from tennis, Collins wants to start a women’s health charity and utilize her platform to help and inspire people who are less fortunate.

However, what are your thoughts on Collins probable last tournament? Do let us know in the comment section below.