Danielle Collins was more than happy to call it a day “playing on a high level” last year when she won two back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston. However, as she was forced to defer her plans of starting a family because of her struggles with endometriosis and fertility, she decided to reverse her decision. “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 wrote in an Instagram update. Unfortunately for Collins, that momentum seems to have fizzled out now.

Collins finished last season ranked 11th in the world, but due to her inconsistencies throughout the season, she has now dropped to 57th spot in the rankings. Danielle Collins has a win-loss record of 15-13 this season, and her best results this season were reaching the QF in Charleston and SF in Strasbourg. Amid all these, Collins has now faced a third consecutive early exit at the North American hard-court swing. She was defeated in her first match at the Citi Open by Poland’s Magda Linette, and then her journey at the Canadian Open came to an end at the hands of the world number 2, Coco Gauff, in the R64. And now, she has been ousted from the Cincinnati Open by the recently crowned doubles number one, Taylor Townsend, who defeated her 6-4,7-6(2).

However, the result is not the only thing about the match that has managed to turn heads. Down 2-0 in the second-set tie-breaker, Collins burst into tears, turned to her player box, a seemingly asked, “Why does this keep happening?” while preparing to return serve. Although it’s unclear what exactly Collins was upset about, several reports claim that she was unwell during the match. But amid all this, her opponent, Taylor Townsend’s beautiful gesture after the match drew praise across the tennis world.

After losing the second set tie-break, Danielle Collins shook hands with Townsend and walked off the court without her bag. Seeing this, Taylor Townsend quickly collected all of Collins’ items and handed over the bag to her opponent’s coaching team, earning the admiration of tennis fans across the world.

Taylor Townsend and Danielle Collins share a very close bond, and we’ve time and again seem it being reflected through their social media posts. In November 2024, for instance, when Townsend made it through to the WTA Finals for the first time, she shared stunning photos of herself in a white gown and beautiful abstract flower earrings. Seeing these images, her peers, including Danielle Collins, Coco Gauff, and even Jessica Pegula, showered praise on her beauty. Collins wrote, “These are beautiful.”

Before that, when Townsend announced her withdrawal from the French Open due to an injury, Danielle Collins was among the first ones to send her a heartfelt message. Collins wrote, “Thinking about you ❤️ sending hugs.” While Collins always has been a polarising figure among fans because she she wears her heart on her sleeve, the tennis fraternity only seems to have good things to say about her.

Coco Gauff shares her heartfelt thoughts about her compatriot Danielle Collins

Danielle Collins is known for her outspoken and fiery personality, which at times led to on-court outbursts, particularly directed towards the cameramen and crowds. These incidents, while drawing criticism, have often been seen as displays of her competitive spirit and unapologetic nature. For example, last year, during a conversation on his Served podcast, American legend Andy Roddick said, “It’s like you don’t have to be a diehard tennis fan to understand her vibe to understand that there’s like this primal aggression inside of this. You know, awesome, you know, woman just taking cuts and everything.”

But Roddick is a former pro now, let’s hear it from someone who has faced Danielle Collins in her career. After defeating Danielle Collins by 7-5,4-6,7-6(2) in the R64 of the 2025 Canadian Open, Coco Gauff made her feelings clear about her compatriot. She said, “This is my first time playing Danielle [Collins], I know her very well. She is obviously a tough competitor and great tennis player, great person. I got to know her really well at the United Cup, and she is always nice to me.”

Previously, during the WTA 500 tournament in Strasbourg, Emma Raducanu also shared her thoughts about Danielle Collins’ on-court behavior. She said, “Off the court, we are both cool. We can talk and have conversations, but on the court, we are both trying to win.” Collins’ bizarre behavior in her recent match against Taylor Townsend might have raised a few eyebrows, but these comments from her peers truly explain her both as a player and as a person.