The quarterfinal match of the women’s singles at Paris Olympics between Danielle Collins and Iga Swiatek on the court ended with the withdrawal of the American tennis player with the score of 6-1 2-6 4-1 in favor of the French Open champion, but it was a high-tension match among the toilet break of the Polish, a ball thrown to the side of Swiatek by the American – who however immediately apologized – then for a medical time out requested this time by Danielle shortly before retiring. And above all for what happened at the moment of Collins’ withdrawal and during the handshake, resulting in poisonous words between the two.
Four months after the Parisian issue, Collins came back to talk about what happened in an interview with The Atlantic. Speaking in depth about Swiatek, the American said that the Polish rival is someone she sees a lot in tennis and is very private with her group. Collins added that we all make mistakes and fail, and that she is just trying to put all of that behind me.
“I think when guys fight a little bit or have a little friction, I think that’s normal. With women, it becomes a much bigger issue than it needs to be. There’s a lot of extrapolation,” she explained.
Iga Swiatek© Billie Jean King Cup/Instagram – Fair Use
Collins analyzed that she is trying to be the best person she can be, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t always succeed. The American added that she could have taken a different approach and done some things differently, but she and Iga had an issue there on the court.
“I think what happened on the court is very similar to how sometimes people have friction at work. For most people, it’s not on the news,” she said.
Danielle Collins© Credit One Charleston Open/Instagram – Fair Use
Danielle also talked about Hurricane Milton hitting Florida, sharing heartwarming thoughts for those who have suffered from the natural disaster. The American said she is praying for everyone who has faced devastation during this incredibly difficult time and prays that everyone will remain safe during the remainder of hurricane season.
“I am blessed to still have a roof over my head and even though Mr. Q’s (her dog – ed.) toys got wet, he is happy that these monster hurricanes are behind us. Thank you to everyone who stepped up and checked in. This has been a nightmare for so many Floridians. I consider myself very fortunate to have very little damage compared to so many of my family and friends. It puts everything in perspective,” she said.