"Many of us have had security issues" - Danielle Collins opens up about "scary situations" she and other players have experienced while on tour

Danielle Collins will be retiring from the sport at the end of the season. The American player has witnessed the joy on tour by winning multiple titles but she has also encountered grave issues from 'stalkers'.

During her appearance on Andy Roddick's podcast, Collins fleetingly mentioned the stalkers she had encountered. However, in a recent interview with "Telegraph Sport", the American doubled down on her statement and revealed the difficulties of being on tour.

“I’m serious. I don’t think it’s something that gets talked about a ton, but many of us have had security issues during our time playing on tour. I had a few different situations over the years. It’s never fun, the feeling of looking over your shoulder,” Collins said.

In the high-profile world of tennis, female players have been victims of stalking multiple times. An alleged Steffi Graf fan stabbed 19-year-old Monica Seles in 1993. A man who wanted to get close to Serena Williams was arrested for trying to trespass into Wimbledon in 2012.

One of the more recent incidents involved Emma Raducanu when a stalker showed up at her house three times before being handed a five-year restraining order. Players like Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati have also been victims of stalking.

Collins talked about the boons and banes of social media. The 30-year-old believes it provides a great platform to connect with fans but also "gives access to people who are really unwell".

She is usually cautious and has a hard time when surrounded by people.

"I feel scared when fans come running at me, throw things or touch me because of a few scary situations I’ve experienced," Collins said.

Collins is a fierce competitor on the court but she has to keep up that personality off the court as well. She admitted that fans think she is "withdrawn" and "distant" but she has to be careful all the time to not let the wrong people know about her life.

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Danielle Collins praises the WTA for their safety and security arrangements

Danielle Collins at the Internationaux de Strasbourg - Day 7. (Source: GETTY)

In November 2022, Lindsay Brandon, a former lawyer, was appointed as the WTA's first director of safeguarding. The department helps protect female tennis players from predatory coaches and others.

According to Danielle Collins, who has seen stalking matters internally resolved by the WTA, the organization has been doing well to protect the women. During the same interview, she said,

“I think our security team at the WTA does a phenomenal job of handling these situations and I’m really grateful for that. They were able to handle it in a way that made me feel safe. With the nature of our travel it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish whether someone is truly a fan or the other,” Collins said.

Currently, Danielle Collins is preparing to take part in her final Wimbledon campaign. The 11th seed will face Clara Tauson in the first round on Tuesday, July 2.