Balanced Collins cooking on AO return

Murray Wenzel | January 15, 2023

Danielle Collins remembers a conversation with a drug tester before last year’s Australian Open, who questioned if she’d be well enough to even participate.

Still feeling the impact of a COVID-19 infection, the American arrived and flourished, only stopped in the final by a rampaging, soon-to-be-retired Ash Barty.

“I honestly wasn’t really feeling my best,” she recalled ahead of Monday’s first-round clash with Anna Kalinskaya.

“I had some challenges … during the entire tournament. 

“But I was able to play some of my best tennis, be able to problem solve and I just want to come here and try to have another good tournament.”

Collins, ranked No.14 in the world, says she’s not feeling any extra pressure to match her 2022 efforts.

“I would be probably disappointed if I don’t,” she said. 

“If I do, I’d be really pumped about it. So, yeah, I don’t know if I’m really feeling a lot of pressure.”

Becoming a self-confessed “little cooking fiend” during the pandemic has helped her reach that balanced state, she says.

“It’s just not something I think about much because I’m not totally consumed with my tennis,” she said of how close she came to maiden major title. 

“I have other things outside of the tennis going on in my life that are kind of keeping me entertained and looking forward to things.

“A lot of people get wrapped up in their work … there’s not a lot of time for other things.

“I try as much as possible to have those hobbies and interests and to stimulate my mind in other ways so I have other things to look forward to.

“I think it takes a lot of pressure off of me.”

Collins was beaten in three sets by Wimbledon champ Elena Rybakina in the Adelaide International 1 but made the quarter-finals in the tournament’s second instalment.

And after finding a favourite coffee shop in Melbourne – she visited the same cafe in Richmond every day – Collins is in a good place.

“Every year I come here, I’m always really comfortable,” she said. 

“I love being in Melbourne. I love what the city has to offer. I feel like I have the most fun here out of all the slams.”