American tennis star Danielle Collins reflected on her first experience being harassed while on tour. Collins, who is currently ranked No. 66 in the WTA singles rankings, was asked about the sexism female athletes face after speaking out and recalled an incident where a cameraman approached her and tried to kiss her after a match. Collins started her tour career after graduating from the University of Virginia.
Danielle Collins played collegiate tennis for the University of Virginia, where she won two NCAA Singles Championships. She turned pro in 2016 and went on to reach the semifinals of the Miami Open in 2018. The following year, Collins gained recognition by making the semifinals of the Australian Open, defeating Angelique Kerber, who was ranked No. 2 in the world at that time. She has won four WTA singles titles and reached the finals of the 2022 Australian Open, her best Grand Slam singles result so far.
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In an interview on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, Collins said:
"I had a situation when I first got on tour, and I was dealing with a cameraman that was very persistent. I lost a long three-set match, come off the court and kind of like, cramping, and I'm tired and all the things are happening, and this guy goes, "Oh Danielle, I'm so sorry, can I give you a hug?" and I look at like my coach and I'm like sure.
He goes in to hug me, and all of a sudden, he goes in to kiss me. And I'm like, oh no. He literally starts making out with the side of my face. So yeah, people don't see that behind the scenes."
Collins last competed at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships where she lost to Iga Swiatek in the third round.
Danielle Collins shares message on supporting community initiatives
Danielle Collins shared a message on social media supporting the Light Up McCarren project, a community initiative aimed at constructing permanent lighting in the public tennis courts at McCarren Park in Brooklyn. In a post on Instagram, she said:
"Court time is especially difficult in the northeastern sections and by having lights, it allows our community more time to do what we love."
Danielle Collins also added that without access to public tennis courts as a child, she wouldn't have become the player she is today. She grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida.
