"I really am confused" - Danielle Collins unimpressed with more chatter around her retirement than her progress

Danielle Collins recently voiced her discontent over more conversation around her retirement than her technical and tactical progress as a player. She recently defeated Caroline Dolehide to kickstart her 2024 French Open singles campaign in style.

Collins entered the women's singles main draw as the 11th seed and has already advanced to the second round with a straight-set win over Dolehide in the first on Monday, May 27. She was broken once during the match but, in turn, she converted three break points to secure a 6-3, 6-4 win to reach 16 wins on clay for the season.

She sat down in the press room after her win on Monday to interact with the media persons and pointed out that her decision to retire, which she took at the Australian Open earlier this year, has overshadowed discussions around her improvements as a player.

"I feel like there’s been a lot of conversation around, ‘Oh you announced your retirement so perhaps you’re playing more free’, I don’t really know what that means as a 30-year-old woman who has a lot of freedom in her life. I really am confused by that. But I feel like I’ve always had a good amount of confidence on the court," Danielle Collins said.

The World No. 10 argued the results are the direct outcome of her efforts that are not being talked about enough.

"I think a lot of the success over the last couple of weeks and months is a product of things clicking because I’ve made those improvements. I noticed there’s just not like a lot of conversation around what those improvements really are," she added.

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Danielle Collins: "It does take people time to be able to find that success"

Danielle Collins; GETTY

During the same presser at Roland Garros on Monday, Danielle Collins reminded the room that she hasn't been a tennis professional for very long as she turned pro in 2016.

"But I think it’s been kind of a process and I think people forget sometimes too that I didn’t turn pro until later in life and so I’ve really been on tour for like six or seven years. So, there’s much younger people who have just as much experience as me," she said.

Danielle Collins further argued that a player needs time to reach the top tier in tennis.

"It takes time, I don’t think a lot of people on tour go into these have uber-successful careers. There are a few, of course, especially some young ones that we’re very well aware of. It does take people time to be able to find their groove and find that success. It doesn’t always just come like this," she said snapping her fingers.

Collins will next face Serbia's Olga Danilovic in the second round on Wednesday, May 29.