"Men can be intimidated by successful women": Danielle Collins remarks difficulty of dating as a tennis pro as husband hunt continues
WTASaturday, 29 November 2025 at 12:00
Former world No. 7 and 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins joined Sam Querrey, John Isner and Steve Johnson on the Nothing Major podcast for an unexpectedly hilarious ā and surprisingly heartfelt ā deep dive into dating, tennis life, fan applicants, and why she wonāt settle for anything less than the real deal.
The hosts wasted no time teasing Collins about the now-viral clip she shared announcing she was ālooking for a husband,ā a moment they capitalised on quickly by collecting applicants on her behalf. Collins admitted she was amused ā and slightly stunned ā when she saw the guys running with it without asking.
āIt felt like I was living in the seventies or eighties when women put ads in the newspaper looking for a husband,ā she laughed. āIāve been getting a ton of DMs and applications. I didnāt expect it to take off like thisā¦ well, maybe I kind of did.ā
But even with the tidal wave of online interest, she admitted most submissions had to be āput to the side,ā with only a handful receiving replies ājust for fun.ā
āThe Bachelorette? only if they paid a lot of cash.ā
When asked if sheād ever consider appearing on The Bachelorette, Collins didnāt rule it out ā but emphasized that it would take a very specific incentive.
āIf they paid the right amount of cash, Iād definitely consider it,ā she joked. āBut to go on just for the sake of going on? Totally out of my comfort zone.ā
Collins explained that sheās always been a ārelationship person,ā having spent most of her adult life in long-term partnerships. The current dating landscape, she admitted, has been both eye-opening and occasionally ādepressing.ā
āThis is the first time Iāve ever actually dated or gone on dates,ā she said. āLearning how people date today has beenā¦ interesting.ā
The idea of juggling multiple contestants on a TV set felt like a stretch:
āIād be really uncomfortable dating multiple people at once. It would freak me out. And the show gets pretty raunchy! Iām a slow mover.ā
The challenges of dating on tour
Collins also spoke candidly about the unique difficulties of dating as a professional tennis player ā especially as a woman.
āIf you're a successful guy, you have infinite options. But when women become successful, the dating pool narrows,ā she said. āMen can be intimidated by successful women. Itās valid ā for me and for a lot of my friends.ā
The constant travel, training demands and unpredictable schedules require someone āselfless and understanding,ā especially since athletes have a limited window to chase their goals.
āIt takes a huge sacrifice from the people we date. Iāve been lucky with supportive partners, but the lifestyle is still hard. Weāre bouncing from continent to continent with crazy schedules.ā
Danielleās relationship criteria: No stage-five clingers and no height liars
When the hosts pushed for specific qualities she looks for in a partner, Collins didnāt hesitate. Faith and shared values are at the top of the list, followed by ambition and independence.
āI want someone with their own thing going on, so their world doesnāt revolve around me,ā she said. āNo stage-five clingers.ā
And then thereās height ā a topic she addressed with typical bluntness. āWe all know I donāt like short kings,ā she laughed. āBut guys under 5'7" often have huge egos. Between 5'7" and 6'2", not as much. Over 6'2", the ego gets big again.ā
The ultimate dealbreaker, however, is dishonesty. āThere was a guy ā a known person ā who was two inches shorter than he claimed. If youāre lying about your height, youāre lying about a lot more. Huge red flag.ā
She clarified sheās dated men closer to her own height and doesn't need someone extremely tall ā ājust someone who tells the truth.ā
Danielle Collins orchestrating the crowd at the Australian Open.
The applicants: Enter Andy with a twist
The hosts revealed theyād received over 40 āhusband applications,ā ultimately selecting one standout: Andy, whose cinematic, self-edited hype reel impressed everyone.
Collins admitted it was well-produced and joked that he could boost her social media presence. But dating a fan, she said, gave her pause. āI almost prefer someone who doesnāt know anything about tennis,ā she said. āBut he seems like a nice guy. Iād have questions.ā
And then she casually dropped the update no one expected making their work redundant: āIāve been going out with somebody. Weāve gone out eight or nine times. Weāre kind of exclusively dating.ā
Collins described her new partner as someone who conveniently splits his time between the same locations she does, knows nothing about tennis, and recently launched his own investment firm. āHeās 6'5", blue eyes, in financeā¦ kind of like a Winklevoss,ā she laughed.
The hosts instantly declared him her boyfriend, a title Collins didnāt reject.
A surreal fan encounter
Collins also shared an almost movie-like moment that happened during a group outing on her friendās boat. Wearing a hat and sunglasses, she asked a woman at a nearby table if they could take photos for each other. The woman agreed ā āfor a professional tennis player.ā
Collins was stunned. With her face covered, she asked the woman which player she thought she was. āDanielle,ā the woman said confidently.
She hadnāt recognized her visually, she recognized her voice.
After asking about Collinsā dating life, the woman abruptly grabbed her shoulders, looked deeply into her eyes, and said: āYouāre so lovely. Donāt settle.ā Then she looked at Collinsā date. Then back at her. The table erupted in awkward laughter.
āIām a firecracker. Not for everyone.ā
As the episode wrapped, Collins reflected on her big personality and competitive fire. āIām a lot,ā she admitted. āIām a firecracker. Iām not for everybody. You guys have probably seen that on court.ā
The hosts wished her luck with the new relationship and promised to keep the applicants āon the back burnerā just in case. Collins promised an update:
āIām hoping it works out. Fingers crossed. And if it doesnāt, Iāll definitely let you guys know.ā
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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