Shocking U-turn in Danielle Collins' retirement scenario as American makes major announcement

Earlier this year, Danielle Collins had confirmed that 2024 would mark her final season on the WTA Tour. Collins' desire to start a family played a significant part in her decision at the time. However, things took the most unexpected of turns recently, with the former World No. 7 announcing that she would be delaying her retirement and featuring in the 2025 season as well.

Danielle Collins rode a wave of success in the first part of the ongoing season. The Florida native, not long after making her initial retirement announcement, won back-to-back WTA Tour-level titles at the Miami Open and the Charleston Open. She also made deep runs at the Qatar Open, the Italian Open, the Strasbourg Internationals, the Wimbledon Championships and the Paris Olympics.

However, her form soon nosedived, and her last outing came in a shock Guadalajara Open exit in the first half of September. Up until now, amid the Asian swing of the season, Danielle Collins kept a low profile. On the night of Thursday, October 17, she broke her silence on Instagram, revealing her struggles with health issues and the recent hurricanes that devastated her native Florida.

"It’s been a stressful time with these horrific hurricanes that wiped through Florida, and on top of it I’ve been dealing with some issues around my endometriosis and other health challenges. While I was very excited and eager to wrap up my tennis career on a high note this year and jump headfirst into my next chapter of life, things have not gone as planned," Danielle Collins wrote.

"In addition to managing some lingering health challenges the past few months, I’ve recently been seeing a handful of specialists to better understand what my best path forward is to achieve my ultimate dream, starting a family," she added.

The former World No. 7 also confirmed that as things stand, her tennis retirement is not imminent and that she would want to end things on her own terms by featuring in 2025.

"Dealing with endometriosis and fertility is a massive challenge for many women and something that I am actively traversing, but I am fully confident in the team I am working with. It is just going to take longer than I thought. So, the DANIMAL story has not reached its conclusion. I will be back on tour in 2025," Collins wrote.

Earlier in the day, an X (formerly Twitter) user shared an image confirming Collins' name in the entry list for the United Cup. The team tournament is set for its next season, and Collins will feature in it alongside Coco Gauff, Desirae Krawczyk, Taylor Fritz, Denis Kudla and Robert Galloway for the USA.

Collins' dip in form following her Paris Olympics campaign resulted in her not making the cut for the year-end WTA Finals.

Danielle Collins misses out on WTA Finals; American was in contention for maiden appearance at the year-end event

Danielle Collins (Source: Getty)

Danielle Collins' rich vein of form earlier in the year made her a strong contender for qualifying for the year-end WTA Finals. However, her chances evaporated gradually following her Paris Olympics campaign.

At the Monterrey Open, the 30-year-old suffered a shock loss in her opening encounter at the tournament against Erika Andreeva. Another opening-round defeat followed at the US Open, the year's last Major, as Collins was surprisingly ousted by compatriot Caroline Dolehide.

At the time, Collins remained firm that she had no regrets over the result, considering that it was seemingly her final Grand Slam outing. Then came her Guadalajara disappointment.

These developments have seen Collins slip down to No. 10 in the live race to the WTA Finals. When the final line-up for the year-end tournament was announced, the Florida native was No. 9, narrowly missing out on what could have been a memorable first appearance at the prestigious event.

The 2024 WTA Finals will be contested by Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini, Zheng Qinwen and Barbora Krejcikova. Emma Navarro and Daria Kasatkina, like Danielle Collins, also came close to sealing their places at the event, but couldn't do enough in time to make it happen.