"I can't comment on that": Andy Roddick shares conflicted feelings about Danielle Collins reversing her retirement decision due to fertility struggles
Andy Roddick has shared his thoughts on Danielle Collins's decision to postpone her retirement and continue competing in the 2025 season. Roddick shed light on his mixed feelings about his fellow American's decision, given the health issues that had influenced it.
Earlier this year, Collins had confirmed that 2024 would be her final year on tour, disclosing that her decision was motivated by her desire to start a family. Despite standing firm on her decision even during her exceptional run of form, the 30-year-old recently made a shocking reversal.
Danielle Collins revealed that uncertainties surrounding her struggle with endometriosis and fertility had delayed her family plans, prompting her decision to continue competing in 2025.
"Dealing with endometriosis and fertility is a massive challenge for many women and something that I am actively traversing, but I am fully confident in the team I am working with. It is just going to take longer than I thought," Danielle Collins wrote on Instagram.
"I hope to build on my 2024 momentum and keep playing until there is more certainty around my personal fertility journey," she added.
During the latest episode of the 'Served with Andy Roddick' podcast, Roddick confessed to feeling uncertain about how to respond to Collins' change of heart, asserting that he couldn't comment on her personal challenges regarding having children.
"Listen, I don't know how to respond to this because I think there are a lot of factors that have nothing to do with tennis. Is it time to start a family? Is it not? I can't comment on any of that," Roddick said.
Instead, the former World No. 1 put himself in the perspective of a tennis fan, disclosing that he was glad to have the opportunity to see the World No. 11 compete for a little longer, especially after the best season of her career.
Roddick contended that from her back-to-back triumphs at the Miami Open and Charleston Open to reaching the semifinals at the Italian Open, Danielle Collins had arguably proven herself as the best player in the world during that period.
"So, I'm going to put myself in a very small box and say that purely from a tennis fan perspective, I'm happy we're going to get to see more of her. This was arguably the best year of her career," he said.
"Certainly for six weeks, maybe two months of the season, it was hard to argue against her being the best player on tour for that stretch. From Miami into Charleston and even into Rome, where she made the semis without breaking a ton of sweat. She just had it for a while," he added.
"I hope that everything else that's way more important than tennis works out the way Danielle Collins wants it to" - Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick credited Danielle Collins for her honesty regarding the reasons behind her decision to extend her career. The former World No. 1 expressed his hope that the 30-year-old would not only succeed during the 2025 season but also achieve a resolution on her personal matters that were "more important" than tennis.
"Listen, she didn't have to explain the reasons in her post. She did. I'm happy that we're going to see her for another year. Hopefully momentum can build and also I hope that everything else that's way more important than tennis works out the way that she eventually wants it to," Roddick said during the same podcast.
Tennis journalist Jon Werthein echoed Roddick's "bittersweet" feelings about Collins reversing her retirement decision, expressing his delight at her return but wishing that it wasn't under such difficult circumstances.
"I think you see that headline, you say, 'Oh great! Danielle Collins has reconsidered and she's back.' And then you read about how this is a gynaecological condition, in keeping with her MO, she was very upfront and candid talking about this two years ago. Clearly that has reared its head again so this is a bit bittersweet," Wertheim said.
"Her health takes precedence over everything. This is a strange situation where, as tennis fans you're happy to see her back, not necessarily under these circumstances. We wish her the best and if this is her choice, we support her, but you wish it didn't have this health component," he added.
Danielle Collins will likely commence her 2025 season by representing Team USA at the United Cup in January, featuring alongside Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz on the entry list for the team event.