Danielle Collins has responded to criticism after a dramatic first-round exit from the 2025 Cincinnati Open, where she was seen visibly emotional during her match against fellow American Taylor Townsend.
The 31-year-old, grappling with a herniated disc, was overwhelmed by the pain-both physical and mental-as she pushed through the match, only to be defeated in straight sets. Townsend emerged victorious with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) score, ending Collins’s campaign in the first round.
The first set was largely one-sided, but the second set was far more competitive, with Collins pushing it to a tiebreak. Under mounting pressure, her frustration spilled over. Midway through, she turned to her team in tears, questioning why things were going so painfully wrong. The moment went viral, leading Collins to respond on social media, where she defended her reaction and spoke about the hidden challenge of competing with a serious back injury.
Taking to her Instagram story, Collins wrote, “Anyone who has a herniated disc knows my pain. It’s no surprise the keyboard warriors can’t understand or relate, as they’ve been too busy sitting on their asses judging people who show up and try to give it their best even on days that suck. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for my injury and thank you to Taylor Townsend for being the best of the best.”
While Collins’s emotional breakdown and struggles with injury dominated the narrative, the match also produced a small but striking act of sportsmanship: after the final handshake, Collins left the court in haste and Taylor Townsend retrieved her forgotten bag and handed it to Collins’s team.
Collins has struggled for consistency recently – she was beaten by Magda Linette in the first round at the DC Open (7-5, 6-4) and then lost a close three-setter to Coco Gauff at the National Bank Open in Montreal (7-5, 4-6, 7-6).
Collins will now turn her attention to the US Open, which runs from August 24 to September 7, 2025.