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‘Help Me Live Out My Dream’- Danielle Collins Credits Father’s Unwavering Dedication and Sacrifice in Shaping Her Tennis Career

Published 03/26/2024, 8:59 AM EDT

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via Reuters

Danielle Collins built her tennis game with her father. The 30-year-old tennis player has quite made her name in the sport and knows how her father, Walter Collins, plays a huge role in where she stands today. Recently, as she made it to the quarter-final round of the Miami Open, she reflected on the hardships her father went through just to support her and her passion for tennis.

Even though the American tennis player has been doing great and giving tough competition, she is still waiting to win her first Grand Slam title. However, given the way she is rising in the Miami Open, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that she has come a long way from learning tennis with her father to thanking him for the sport.

Danielle Collins opens up about her father’s “pretty amazing” contribution

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The 53rd-ranked tennis player is all set to play in the quarterfinal against Caroline Garcia. After her 4th round victory in a conversation with talking tennis, she opened up about how her parents are the biggest motivation regarding why she is constantly traveling and playing tournaments while competing with the younger generation of players.

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Not only that, she highlighted how her father had to sacrifice a lot so that she could achieve her dream of becoming a tennis player. She stated, “I think about it a lot with my dad like 85 years old now he had me a lot later in life and my dad used to get up with me at like 5: in the morning and we would go and practice. Who does that? It’s like pretty amazing, especially at that age.”

Subsequently, the American tennis player highlighted that even at the age of 85, he has given his 100% to stand by his daughter’s side, by helping her with her practices. Further, she added, “You know, he could have he could be doing other things and like resting but he wanted to be out there and help me and let me live out my dream.”

Furthermore, she also mentioned how he had different options that he could have taken at such a crucial age, but he decided to give that time to her daughter’s dream. While she is focusing on winning matches for her father, a few months ago she made a huge decision to step away from the tennis arena by the end of this year.

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Collins to retire by the end of 2024

The 30-year-old player has overcome multiple health obstacles, such as endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis, to forge an incredible career in professional tennis. Despite experiencing challenges, she has achieved considerable accomplishments through perseverance and tenacity. The 2022 Australian Open finalist marked the end of an era in her tennis career when she made the momentous announcement in January that she was retiring from the game.

She stated, “I’m also someone that has dealt with a lot of physical struggles and that has not been easy. That wasn’t something that ended up defining my career. I was able to overcome a lot of it, and of course, there were challenges along the way, but I was able to play through two chronic inflammatory conditions and did pretty well.”

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To sum up, Collins is currently on her farewell tour, enjoying her last moments on the court and saying goodbye to a sport that has played a significant role in her life. Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Collins’ father’s contribution to her game? Do let us know in the comment section below.

‘WHAT DID SHE SAY’ – American Star Danielle Collins’ Shocking Retirement Hint Leaves Tennis Fans Bewildered

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Written by:

Pratishtha Prakash

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Pratishtha Prakash, tennis writer and resident analyst at EssentiallySports isn't just a sports journalist; she's a storyteller who found her true calling in tennis content. It is something she seamlessly integrates into both her professional and personal realms. Having professional certifications in content and digital marketing, Pratishtha has made it a habit to hone her skills as a quality journalist.
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Edited by:

Deepanshi Bajaj