If there’s one name that knows how to grab the spotlight, it’s Danielle Collins. Fierce and fiery on court, she’s known as ‘Danimal’ to her fans. Collins has been a steadfast presence in tennis for the last decade. Titles have been elusive, with just four wins: in 2024 at Miami and Charleston, and in 2021 at Palermo and San Jose. But she also made the Australian Open final in 2022! Last year, she planned to wrap up her career and retire to focus on starting a family, but health concerns brought her back. Although this season hasn’t been smooth, she’s held on. Still, she may be letting loose for a while.

Collins just faced a first-round exit at the Cincinnati Open against Taylor Townsend. Next up is a trip to New York for the year’s final slam, the US Open! Her best singles showing there was the fourth round in 2022. She also reached the third round in 2021, and the second round in 2019 and 2023. Collins made her WTA main draw debut at the US Open in 2014, receiving a wild card as the NCAA singles champion. But this season, Danielle’s dropping a massive shocker before that.

On Friday, Danielle Collins posted a picture on Instagram, captioned, “On the mend 💚 New York soon for my last event of the year🎾🗽.” Dressed in a comfy white tank, pink shorts, and a cap, she looks like she’s out for a walk. Getting some much-needed time off the court. But this being her last tournament of the season? That’s news!

Currently ranked No.57, the Danimal has competed in only 14 tournaments this year, including the slams. While luck hasn’t been with her, her grit to come back has been remarkable! Last January, she announced it would be her last season. She’s been suffering from endometriosis and wanted to focus on her personal life and start a family. Yet in December, she announced her return for the 2025 season! Even knowing it wouldn’t be easy.

Danielle Collins has battled endometriosis for nearly four years. She underwent laparoscopic treatment after terrible pain. “I’ve always had painful periods but I remember a couple of years ago being woken from my sleep and immediately needing to drive to the pharmacy to buy anti-inflammatories just to be able to get through the night,” she once said, describing the condition’s pain.

This season has been a mixed bag. She holds a singles win-loss record near even, about 15-12, and has earned around $920,000 in prize money so far. Collins reached the third round of the Australian Open and the semifinals at the Strasbourg Open.

She had strong showings at Miami and Charleston but hasn’t clinched a title yet. Still, she competes fiercely and remains a tough WTA contender. Even her last match against Townsend wasn’t easy for the American.

Danielle Collins in tears at Cincinnati

On August 8, deep in a second-set tiebreak against Taylor Townsend, Collins suddenly turned sharply toward her box and cried out, “Why does this keep happening to me?!” Her raw sobs filled the hush of the crowd. Rumors suggest she wasn’t feeling her best, which might explain the emotional burst. She battled through the set but couldn’t stop Townsend from sealing the match 7-6(2). At the net, the two shared a brief, one-arm hug and a few pats before Collins quickly exited the court.

But Townsend’s next move? Pure class. Noticing Danielle Collins walking off without her bag, Townsend headed over, grabbed it, and carried it across to Collins’ team. The crowd erupted in applause, and commentators remarked, “These two go way back, not sure what was happening with Danielle Collins.” Townsend then turned her focus back to the match, earning respect for keeping her own game sharp amid the drama.

Danielle has faced some rough patches on the North American hard courts. At the Citi Open, she dropped her opening match in straight sets to Poland’s Magda Linette. Then in Montreal, she exited early again, losing in the round of 64 to world No. 2 Coco Gauff. After dropping a tight set, Collins vented her frustration by smashing her racket. That frustration seemed to be carried right into her matches on the Washington and Cincinnati courts.

Now, it looks like Danielle Collins is taking some of that tension off before heading into New York. Could this final tournament of the season ease some pressure and lead to a strong finish for the 31-year-old? Drop your thoughts below!