Jessica Pegula reacts as Danielle Collins credits her friends on WTA tour as a vital 'support system' amid 'difficult' fertility struggles
Jessica Pegula recently showed her support for Danielle Collins after the 30-year-old opened up about her struggles with endometriosis. Collins also expressed gratitude for the encouragement she received from her fellow players as she explained her decision to delay her retirement.
Collins was set to hang up her racket at the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, citing her desire to have children with her boyfriend Bryan Kipp. However, in a shocking development, the World No. 11 announced that she would compete in the 2025 season after her "ultimate dream" of starting a family faced a setback due to her fertility struggles.
Danielle Collins elaborated on her health issues in an interview with The Athletic during her campaign with Team USA in Malaga, disclosing that it was "incredibly difficult" to deal with endometriosis even though she was grateful to have her tennis career to fall back on.
"On one hand, it’s great that I have my career and that I have that to kind of fall back on while this next part of my journey in life gets postponed a little bit. But at the same time, it’s not an easy thing dealing with endometriosis. It’s incredibly difficult," Collins said.
The 30-year-old also revealed that her friendships on the WTA tour were a major source of comfort during her health struggles, as she enjoyed close bonds with the likes of Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Madison Keys.
"One of my biggest support systems is the people that are in tennis, the people that I compete against, the people that I’ve become friends with. Without that support system it would be incredibly difficult to deal with all this," she added.
Pegula signaled her support by resharing an excerpt from Danielle Collins' interview on social media, applauding her compatriot.
"👏," Pegula posted on her Instagram story.
Danielle Collins on competing alongside fellow American players: "I wish we had the team tournaments more often... It's really like a holiday"
During the same interview, Danielle Collins conveyed her excitement about competing at the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, expressing her wish for more team events on tour.
The World No. 11 disclosed that competing alongside her fellow American players felt like a "holiday," shedding light on their fun team traditions of exchanging gifts and participating in festive activities.
"I wish we had the team tournaments more often, it’s just a totally different energy. From being on the team with the girls and competing to the little gifts that you prepare and all the festive stuff that you try to do. It’s really like a holiday in a lot of ways," Collins said.
Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff did not join Danielle Collins at the Billie Jean Cup Finals following their respective campaigns at the WTA Finals. In their absence, the American contingent comprising Collins, Taylor Townsend, Peyton Stearns, Caroline Dolehide, and Ashlyn Krueger suffered a 2-1 loss to Slovakia in the quarterfinals and crashed out of the tournament.