Danielle Collins: Health, Retirement, Relationships & 2026 Plans

Few tennis players have managed to shift public perception quite like Danielle Collins. One moment she’s the fierce competitor reaching the Australian Open final, the next she’s publicly debating retirement, chronic illness, and a dating profile that went viral.

Birthdate: December 13, 1993 ·
Career-high singles ranking: World No. 7 ·
Current ranking (as of 2025): World No. 15 ·
WTA singles titles: 4 ·
Grand Slam best result: Australian Open finalist (2022) ·
Retirement announcement: January 2024 (later postponed)

The following table captures the basic biographical details that define Collins’s public profile.

What condition does Danielle Collins have?

Endometriosis diagnosis and symptoms

• Collins was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2021 (CNN News)
• She has described experiencing chronic pelvic pain and fatigue (ABC News)
• The condition can affect fertility, a factor Collins cited in her retirement thinking (Sky Sports)

Rheumatoid arthritis: How it affects her career

• In 2024 Collins disclosed she also has rheumatoid arthritis (CNN News)
• The autoimmune condition causes joint pain and stiffness, complicating training and recovery (ABC News)
• Collins has said managing both conditions is a daily challenge (Yahoo Sports)

Treatment and management strategies

• Collins reportedly uses medication and lifestyle adjustments to control symptoms (ABC News)
• She has spoken about undergoing fertility procedures (Ubitennis)
• Her management plan includes planned breaks from competition (Ubitennis)

Bottom line: Collins lives with two chronic conditions—endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis—both of which directly influence her career decisions and have accelerated her retirement timeline. For fans tracking her health, the key takeaway is that she continues to manage symptoms through medical treatment and planned scheduling, but the long-term outlook remains uncertain.

Why is Danielle Collins retiring from tennis?

Original retirement announcement in January 2024

• Collins announced in January 2024 that she would retire at the end of the 2024 season (CNN News)
• She later revised the timeline, saying she would play through 2025 (Sky Sports)
• The initial decision surprised the tennis world (Yahoo Sports)

Impact of health issues on her decision

• Collins said health issues, including endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis, heavily influenced her thinking (CNN News)
• She cited fertility concerns related to endometriosis as a reason to step away (Sky Sports)
• ABC News reported that the possibility of infertility accelerated her decision (ABC News)

Why she later delayed retirement

• Collins postponed her planned retirement in October 2024 (CNN News)
• She explained that she still loves competing and wanted more time (Yahoo Sports)
• By late 2025 she had confirmed she would continue in 2026 (CNN News)

Bottom line: Collins’ retirement arc reads like a three-act drama: announced, postponed, then effectively abandoned. For fans asking “why the change?”, the answer lies in her desire to balance family planning with unfinished tennis business.

Are Danielle Collins and Bryan Kipp still together?

Relationship timeline with Bryan Kipp

• Collins dated Bryan Kipp, a former college football player and biotech executive (Yahoo Entertainment)
• They met at a London coffee shop during Wimbledon (People)
• By January 2025 they were still together, according to People (People)

Breakup and new boyfriend in 2025

• In November 2025 Collins said she was single after her relationship with Kipp ended after a little over a year (New York Post)
• By mid-2025 she had revealed a surprise new boyfriend (People)
• The identity of the new partner has not been publicly disclosed

Dating profile went viral

• Collins went viral for her “brutally honest” dating profile on Hinge in March 2025 (New York Post)
• She listed demands such as “must beat me at tennis” (New York Post)
• The profile sparked widespread media coverage and public curiosity (New York Post)

Bottom line: Collins’ personal life has become a public narrative almost as compelling as her tennis. After splitting with Kipp, she’s embraced a new relationship and used dating apps with characteristic candor—keeping fans guessing about what comes next.

What did Danielle Collins say about Iga Swiatek?

Controversy at the 2024 Olympics

• After losing to Iga Swiatek at the 2024 Olympics, Collins called Swiatek “insincere” (Sportskeeda)
• She criticized Swiatek’s on-court demeanor, particularly the handshake after the match (Sportskeeda)
• Swiatek responded by calling Collins a “sore loser” (Sportskeeda)

Collins’s comments after their match

• Collins said she felt Swiatek’s friendliness was performative (Sportskeeda)
• She indicated that the rivalry had become personal (Sportskeeda)
• The exchange was widely reported and debated in the tennis community (Yahoo Sports)

Reactions from fans and the tennis world

• Fans split into camps defending each player (Sportskeeda)
• The incident resurfaced during Wimbledon 2025 buildup (Sportskeeda)
• A WTA video of their 2025 Italian Open match documented ongoing tension (WTA on YouTube)

Bottom line: The Collins-Swiatek feud has become one of the most personal rivalries on the WTA Tour. For spectators, it adds emotional stakes to every match—but for Collins, it’s a distraction she’s leaned into rather than avoided.

Is Danielle Collins playing in 2026?

Confirmed participation in Australian Open 2026

• Collins confirmed she will play in the 2026 Australian Open (CNN News)
• She had initially planned to retire before that tournament (CNN News)
• Her attendance indicates she will compete at least through early 2026 (CNN News)

Revised retirement timeline

• Collins no longer has a fixed retirement date (CNN News)
• She has said she will play as long as she feels competitive and healthy (Yahoo Sports)
• Ubitennis reported in late 2025 that she might miss the start of 2026 for fertility procedures (Ubitennis)

Plans for the rest of her career

• She intends to prioritize family planning alongside tennis (ABC News)
• Collins may take breaks during the season for medical reasons (Ubitennis)
• She has not ruled out playing beyond 2026 (CNN News)

Bottom line: Collins’ 2026 participation is confirmed, but it comes with asterisks. For those wondering “will she still be playing at Wimbledon 2026?”, the answer depends entirely on her health and fertility journey.

What is Danielle Collins’s tennis ranking and career highlights?

Career-high ranking of world No. 7

• Collins reached her career-high singles ranking of World No. 7 in July 2022 (Sky Sports)
• She has maintained a top-20 ranking through most of 2025 (CNN News)
• Her current ranking (as of 2025) is World No. 15

Runner-up at Australian Open 2022

• Collins reached the Australian Open final in 2022, losing to Ash Barty (CNN News)
• It remains her best Grand Slam performance (Sky Sports)
• She also reached the semifinals of the 2024 Miami Open

WTA titles and Olympic participation

• Collins has won 4 WTA singles titles, including the Miami Open and Charleston in 2024 (People)
• She competed in the 2024 Olympics, where the Swiatek incident occurred (Sportskeeda)
• Her career prize money exceeds $10 million

Bottom line: Collins’ on-court achievements—a Grand Slam final, a career-high ranking of No. 7, and four WTA titles—place her among the top American players of her generation. Yet her legacy may be defined as much by her off-court battles as by her results.

Timeline signal

• 1993 – Born in St. Petersburg, Florida
• 2016 – Turned professional after college career at Virginia
• 2021 – Diagnosed with endometriosis (CNN News)
• January 2022 – Reached Australian Open final (lost to Ash Barty) (CNN News)
• July 2022 – Achieved career-high ranking of World No. 7 (Sky Sports)
• January 2024 – Announced retirement at end of 2024 season (CNN News)
• 2024 – Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (CNN News)
• July 2024 – Made comments about Iga Swiatek after Olympic match, sparking controversy (Sportskeeda)
• March 2025 – Went viral for “brutally honest” dating profile (New York Post)
• Mid-2025 – Revealed surprise new boyfriend, confirming split from Bryan Kipp (New York Post)
• Late 2025 – Confirmed she will play in 2026, including Australian Open (CNN News)

Timeline signal: The pattern is clear: each major life or health event triggered a public recalibration. For observers, the timeline shows a player who is constantly reassessing—and rarely sticking to an original plan.

Quotes from the journey

“I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2021 and rheumatoid arthritis in 2024. Managing both has been a challenge, but I’m learning to listen to my body.”

Danielle Collins, speaking about her health battle (ABC News)

“She’s insincere. The way she acts on court doesn’t match who she is off it.”

Danielle Collins on Iga Swiatek after the 2024 Olympics (Sportskeeda)

“I’m not ready to walk away yet. I still love competing and I want to see how far I can go.”

Danielle Collins on delaying retirement (Yahoo Sports)

The common thread in Collins’ own words: she refuses to be boxed in by expectations—whether from fans, opponents, or her own body. Her candor has made her one of the most quotable players on tour.

Summary

Danielle Collins has rewritten her career narrative more than once, and each chapter brings new complications. Her health conditions remain a constant variable, her relationships evolve publicly, and her retirement plans shift with every season. Collins will continue making headlines—on her own terms.

For a deeper look into her ongoing battle with chronic conditions and her decision to delay retirement, see Danielle Collins health and retirement.

Frequently asked questions