Danielle Collins says she has been struggling since the Olympic Games following her shock first round exit from the US Open.
The 30-year-old aimed to have a strong run at the final Grand Slam of her career, but she was sent crashing out of her home major at the first hurdle.
The American was in sparkling form earlier in the campaign when she won successive titles in Miami and Charleston.
But a return to the States did not help Danielle Collins rediscover her best form and she made a quick exit from Louis Armstrong Stadium after a three-set defeat.
Danielle Collins admits she has struggled since the Olympic Games following her US Open loss
Collins was dominating her US Open first round against fellow American Caroline Dolehide. But while up 6-1, 2-0, everything began to unravel.
The 25-year-old battled back and claimed the second set on her fifth set point, and hit just four unforced errors in the third set as she secured her third win over a top 20 player.
Following the 6-1, 5-7, 4-6 defeat, Collins ignored the bouquet of congratulatory flowers offered by Tournament Director Stacey Allaster and left the court.
During her post-match press conference the 11th seed admitted she has struggled with injury since the Olympic Games, where Collins retired from her quarter-final against Iga Swiatek due to an abdominal issue.
Despite the crushing loss that ended her Grand Slam career and battles with injury, Collins plans to play the rest of the season and wants to finish her career on a positive note.
“I’m still playing the rest of the year, or at least that’s the plan right now. You never know with life’s challenges and health stuff. We’ll see,” Collins told reporters. “But yeah, I was kind of just bummed I couldn’t play some of my best tennis.
“I was all over the place with my shots. I feel like my timing was a bit off, and stamina and this and that. No one out here is immune to having bad days. I’ve physically really been through it since the Olympics, so it’s been a struggle.”
What happened to Danielle Collins at the Olympic Games?
Collins competed in her first only Olympic Games in Paris back in July. She was the only American woman to reach the singles quarter-finals where she took on the heavy pre-tournament favourite Iga Swiatek.
While trailing 1-4 in the final set, Collins retired from the match due to an abdominal injury, which kept her out of the Canadian and Cincinnati Open.
She travelled to Mexico to play the Monterrey Open before the US Open to get some matches, but Collins lost her opening match to Erika Andreeva.
Entering the US Open undercooked, Collins came unstuck in round one and her singles run came to an early end.
She does still have a chance at Grand Slam success however, as she will partner World number 30 Caroline Garcia in the women’s doubles event.
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