As they say, hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. Walter and Cathy Collins might never have guessed that their daughter would one day be among the top 10 tennis players in the world. They worked their socks off to see Danielle Collins reach where she is today. But the journey to stardom, as it often is, has not been easy.

Danielle Collins has been running the headlines over the last few hours after defeating Caroline Garcia emphatically in the QF of the 2024 Miami Open to make way for her second final-four appearance. In the final year of her career, she seems determined to end her illustrious career on a high note. But who are the two strongest pillars in her life?

Danielle Collins had unending family support despite everything

Danielle Collins grew up in a lower-middle-class family where her parents always used to prioritize saving money. Today, Walter and Cathy Collins have played a huge role in shaping her career. Her father runs a landscaping business where he still mows lawns and cuts down trees every day, even living in Florida and its unforgivable heat.

Despite all the adversities, Danielle Collins’ parents never made her compromise her dreams. Her father used to drive her around the city to get her the best resources, making sure his daughter developed her skills from experienced professionals. Even her mother Cathy Collins used to accompany her for practice as early as 4:30 am.

Recalling those moments, Danielle Collins once said, “I wanted to go to practice so bad, I remember crying. And my dad got out of bed. He pulled himself out of bed, and he took me to practice and made sure I got my practice right before school.” Danielle Collins has often spoken about her humble background publicly. Last year during the latest episode of My Journey | WTA x Morgan Stanley she shed light on her journey and also revealed the impact her parents had in her life.

“I had $0 in my name” – Danielle Collins

During the interview, Danielle Collins highlighted the importance of being responsible with money, “Growing up with two parents that were so hard working and living paycheck to paycheck. I think definitely helped spark an interest in financial literacy and accounting properly.” Danielle Collis is now also a powerful advocate for financial literacy.

She further went on to add, “At 18 years old, I had $0 in my name, I didn’t come from financial opportunity, and knowing that I really felt like the best way to set myself up for success was going to college.”

Today the tennis star is glad to be where she is today, but Danielle Collins still members those days when her parents used to work tirelessly to help her reach her goals.

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