A St. Pete superstar is making their Olympic debut this summer in Paris. Local tennis powerhouse Danielle Collins smashed it at the Olympic Trials, and continues her 2024 tournament hot streak.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Collins said in an interview with UVA Today. “And it is one of the highest honors you can receive as an athlete, playing for your country. I love being on a team, and it has always been a goal of mine to be an Olympian. So it really means a lot.”
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“I let my emotions out there and I wear my heart on my sleeve,” Collins continued in her interview with UVA Today. “I’m someone that’s not afraid to be myself. I think as women we should really embrace that and support each other.”
USTA made the following announcement on June 20: World No.2 Coco Gauff and No.5 Jessica Pegula will lead a five-woman squad for Team USA at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. Along with Gauff and Pegula, Miami Open Champion Danielle Collins, World No.17 Emma Navarro and Doubles No.11 Desirae Krawczyk have punched their tickets for Paris.
At 30, Danielle Collins is having a breakthrough year on tour. She snagged the biggest title of her career in Miami this March, then immediately clinched the Charleston crown—becoming the first to win both back-to-back since Serena Williams in 2013. Collins rode a stunning 15-match win streak, toppling top-10 players like Ons Jabeur, Maria Sakkari, and Elena Rybakina. She also pushed reigning major champions Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka to their limits, marking her as a formidable force this season.
The Summer Olympics take place Fri, Jul 26, 2024 through Sun, Aug 11, 2024.
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