Danielle Collins, born December 13, 1993 in St. Petersburg, Florida, is an American professional tennis player known for her aggressive style of play and fighting spirit on the court. She made her breakthrough in 2019 when she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open as an unseeded player. Collins played college tennis for the University of Virginia, where she twice won the NCAA singles title (2014 and 2016), giving her a strong foundation for her professional career. Collins has since had strong results on the WTA tour, with her first WTA title coming in 2021 in Palermo. She reached her first Grand Slam final at the 2022 Australian Open, where she lost to Ashleigh Barty as a finalist. Her powerful strokes and mental fortitude have made her a regular on the tour. Collins has also distinguished herself for her perseverance despite injuries and health problems, including endometriosis.
Name: Danielle Collins
Birthday: December 13, 1993
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States
Turned pro: 2016
Height: 1,78m
Danielle Collins, born December 13, 1993 in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a 30-year-old American professional tennis player. She grew up in an athletic family and chose tennis at a young age. Collins played college tennis at the University of Virginia, where she twice won the NCAA singles title in 2014 and 2016, giving her career a solid foundation. She is known for her aggressive style of play and mental resilience on the court.
Collins broke through internationally in 2019 when she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. In 2022, she reached her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, in which she lost to Ashleigh Barty. She also won her first WTA title in 2021 in Palermo. Collins earns her income mainly from prize money and sponsorship deals with brands such as New Balance and Babolat. Despite health problems such as endometriosis, she remains a fighter on the tennis court and a fixture at the top of women's tennis.
Danielle Collins began her tennis career on U.S. college courts. Instead of immediately making the transition to the professional circuit, Collins chose to play college tennis at the University of Virginia. This choice proved a success, as she won the NCAA singles title twice, in 2014 and 2016. These titles established her name as one of the best college tennis players of her generation and gave her a solid foundation for her later professional career.
In 2017, Collins decided to transition to the professional circuit. She mainly played on the ITF tour and qualifying tournaments for WTA events. Although her results were modest in the beginning, she accumulated valuable experience and gradually improved her position in the world rankings.
2018 was her big breakthrough year. Collins reached the semifinals of the prestigious WTA tournament in Miami, where she defeated Venus Williams, among others. This result put her in the top 50 of the WTA rankings, a huge leap for her career. She proved she could compete at the highest level and became a regular name in WTA tournaments.
The real highlight came in 2019, when Collins reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, her first major breakthrough at the Grand Slam level. She defeated big names such as Angelique Kerber and stormed to the semifinals before losing to Petra Kvitová. This performance catapulted her into the top 25 in the world and established her as a serious force in women's tennis. She also had success in doubles that year, with a quarterfinal place at Wimbledon.
2020, however, proved to be a difficult year for Collins. Injury problems and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her from consistently competing in tournaments, and her performances were shaky. Still, she managed a quarterfinal place at Roland Garros, which showed her mental resilience despite the challenges.
In 2021, Collins came back strong. She won her first WTA title in Palermo, a moment of triumph that took her career to a new level. Later that year, she followed up this success with another WTA title in San Jose. This strengthened her position in the world's top 30 and showed that she had established herself as one of the regulars on the WTA tour.
2022 was the highlight of Collins' career. She reached her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, a feat that put her on the global map. Although she lost the final to then-No. 1, Ashleigh Barty, reaching the final was a testament to her perseverance and talent. She finished the year as one of the top 10 players in the world, cementing her position as one of the best American players of her generation.
Despite her success, Collins continued to face health challenges. In 2021, she underwent surgery for endometriosis, a condition that had affected her performance in earlier years. Although her results were mixed in 2023, she continued to fight and improve, still competing on the WTA tour and penetrating deeper into tournaments.
In 2024, Collins announced her shock retirement going into the 2025 season. But she won multiple titles including the Miami Open and Charleston Open and at one point of the season was one of the best in the world. Deciding to end her career with the thought of starting a family and getting away from tennis, the freedom she got seemed to help her achieve some of her best form.
Danielle Collins' career is a story of perseverance and determination. From a successful college player to a fixture on the WTA tour, she has proven herself capable of reaching the top of women's tennis. Despite injuries and health problems, she continues to fight and pursue her goals, culminating in an impressive Grand Slam final in her still-growing career.
WTA titles (Singles)
1. Palermo Ladies Open (WTA 250):
- 2021
2. Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic (San Jose, WTA 500):
- 2021
3. Miami Open
- 2024
4. Charleston Open
- 2024
ITF titles (Singles).
Collins also won several titles on the ITF circuit before her breakthrough on the WTA tour.
College Tennis
1. NCAA Singles Championship (University of Virginia):
- 2014, 2016
Danielle Collins has won three WTA singles titles, both in 2021 and 2024 and she was twice NCAA singles champion during her college career. Her Grand Slam performances, including the final at the 2022 Australian Open, are a major highlight of her career, although she has not won a Grand Slam title.