No. 9 Collins reverses course, will play in 2025

Danielle Collins mentioned Thursday she is going to return to the WTA Tour subsequent yr, a choice that comes 9 months after she introduced she would retire on the finish of the 2024 season.

In an Instagram put up Thursday, the world No. 9 mentioned defined how her ongoing challenges with endometriosis, an ailment that impacts the uterus, influenced her choice to extend her profession, noting “issues haven’t gone to plan.”

Collins, 30, had beforehand mentioned she wished to retire so she may have youngsters.

“Along with managing some lingering well being challenges the previous few months, I’ve just lately been seeing a handful of specialists to raised perceive what my finest path ahead is to attain my final dream, beginning a household,” Collins wrote. “Coping with endometriosis and fertility is a large problem for a lot of girls and one thing that I’m actively traversing, however I’m totally assured within the staff I’m working with. It’s simply going to take longer than I assumed.

“So, the DANIMAL story has not reached its conclusion. I can be again on tour in 2025.”

After shedding a three-set marathon to Iga Swiatek within the second spherical of the Australian Open in January, Collins instructed reporters the 2024 season would be her final one .

Whereas she remained steadfast all year long about her choice regardless of repeated questions on her future, she performed a few of the finest tennis of her profession within the subsequent months. In March, Collins gained the largest title of her profession on the 1000-level Miami Open. She adopted it up by profitable at Charleston the next week.

When speaking to ESPN forward of the French Open in Might, Collins mentioned she was grateful to have the ability to depart the sport whereas on high.

“I need to exit actually taking part in on a excessive degree, and I would like folks to recollect me for the tennis that I used to be taking part in,” she mentioned. “Some gamers are virtually pressured into retirement, attributable to an harm after which falling out of the highest 100, and that defines the top of their profession. This has been actually empowering in the way in which that I have been in a position to make the choice to retire alone phrases and have the power to decide on. I may select to proceed to play, however I am selecting to retire.”

She had publicly said her need to make her first Olympic staff in her farewell season and did simply that because of her surge within the rankings after the back-to-back victories. Nonetheless, whereas in Paris, she suffered warmth stroke and strained her stomach and misplaced within the quarterfinals. She has performed in solely three tournaments since, together with a first-round exit on the US Open.

Collins then declined an on-court ceremony there celebrating her profession, in what is commonly customary for American gamers collaborating of their closing US Open. She later instructed reporters she did not need to have “an all-about-me second” and most popular to do one thing in non-public.

She additionally was not sure on the time if she would have the ability to compete the remainder of the season however finally performed in Guadalajara in September, shedding within the first spherical. She has not performed since.

It was beforehand believed Collins would formally finish her profession at subsequent month’s Billie Jean King Cup as a part of the U.S. staff. On Thursday, a information launch mentioned Collins can be a part of the year-opening combined gender United Cup in Australia.

Collins expressed pleasure about returning to the tour on the finish of her social media put up.

“Whereas there aren’t any ensures in life, I hope to construct on my 2024 momentum and maintain taking part in till there may be extra certainty round my private fertility journey,” she wrote. “The one assure for now can be some extra epic matches.”