Danielle Collins fell short of claiming her first Grand Slam title at the revamped US Open mixed doubles event, partnering with Christian Harrison. Following a semifinal loss on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Collins shared her plans to manage her back injury and prepare for the upcoming women’s singles competition.
Early Success and Semifinal Exit in US Open Mixed Doubles
Collins teamed up with Christian Harrison in a last-minute substitution for Jannik Sinner and Katerina Siniakova at the US Open mixed doubles tournament. The newly formed duo quickly found their rhythm, winning their first two matches convincingly in straight sets against the pairs of Alexander Zverev and Belinda Bencic, then Ben Shelton and Taylor Townsend.
Progressing to the semifinals, Collins and Harrison faced the defending champions Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani. Despite a solid effort, the American pair were defeated with scores of 2-4, 2-4, ending their run before the final.
Collins’ Strategy to Recover Before the Singles Matches
Following the semifinal loss, Collins discussed her approach to recovery ahead of the women’s singles tournament. She revealed she will take a brief break to manage her back injury, which has been a persistent issue since the Cincinnati Open.
“I’m going to need like a day or two off for sure. After my back injury in Cincinnati, I actually only had one practice. I had nine days off. I came into the tournament a little bit cold turkey,”
Collins said.
She noted surprisingly improved performance despite limited practice and joked about reducing training volume.
“I was joking with my coach, maybe I just need to practice less because I feel like the more I play, the worse I get. Maybe less is more for me. I’m serious. Sometimes you play too much and you get worse, especially at this age now.”
Collins intends to rest and do light practice sessions intermittently to aid recovery.
“I’m going to get the feet popped up on the couch, yeah, just kind of chill out with Quincy for the next couple of days. Yeah, maybe throw a few practices in there, right, here and there, try to get my back right for the tournament.”
Ongoing Challenges from Back Injury and Serve Limitations
Despite trying to manage the pain, Collins admitted the injury has affected her serving capabilities, sometimes forcing her to rely on slower serves.
“I’ve still been managing this injury. Obviously, people can probably tell with the way I was serving a little bit,”
she acknowledged.
She described some serves clocking around 70 miles per hour as far from her usual speed.
“But it was tricky. It was super tricky. I’m full of tricks, so it worked.”
The severity of her condition was evident during the Cincinnati Open, where Collins became emotional after her first-round match and openly questioned her struggle.
“Anyone who has a herniated disc knows my pain,”
Collins disclosed on social media, explaining the source of her discomfort.
Collins plans to complete her 2025 season at the US Open in New York while aiming for a full recovery and return to the WTA Tour by January 2026.
Reviewing Collins’ 2025 Season and Future Prospects
After opting not to retire in 2024 due to personal reasons, Collins embarked on the 2025 season with high hopes. She started positively by contributing to Team USA’s victory at the United Cup, which ended with a win over Poland in the final.
However, she has yet to claim another title on the WTA Tour since that early success. Her deepest run came in Strasbourg, where she advanced to the semifinals.
Despite inconsistent results, Collins secured an impressive triumph over world number two Iga Swiatek at the Italian Open, winning 6-1, 7-5 to reach the fourth round. This standout victory remains a highlight of her year.
As she prepares for the US Open women’s singles draw starting August 24, Collins will be seeking to build momentum and add significant wins before concluding her competitive year.