Danielle Collins returns to Charleston, a tournament she affectionately calls her “home event,” riding the wave of a career-defining spring in 2024. Last year saw the American star achieve a remarkable 13-match winning streak, culminating in back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston. After falling to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Miami’s Round of 16, World No. 22 Collins now eyes success in Charleston, while continuing to inspire with kind gestures off the court.
An Instagram clip from Tennis Channel, dated April 1, showed a little girl taking on Collins. Perhaps the latter was busy practicing ahead of kickstarting her campaign on Wednesday when the girl entered the court. Apparently, they were seen hitting shots toward each other in a playful way, with Collins being gentle with the adorable kid. But the latter appeared to be no slouch, as one of her forehands eventually beat the American. “That forehand tho ,” read the post’s caption.
It was undoubtedly a moment to remember for the little girl. One, that she “will never forget,” as mentioned in the video description. Collins was also seen posing for a photograph with her while sharing a hug. Even WTA’s official account commented “Our hearts ” appreciating this sweet face-off.
Just days ago, Collins also swayed the fans with her generous act for a stray dog she found on the Miami streets. During her campaign in Florida, the WTA pro had revealed how she spotted a helpless dog and then took him to the hospital. What happened next?
Fortunately, the dog (whom she named Crash) made a speedy recovery, in five days. Sharing an image with him on her IG, Collins updated – “Crash is recovering and finally out of the hospital after 5 days on oxygen support.” And guess what she did after his recovery? Collins opted to adopt him. Collins shared that Quincy has a new brother, Crash, who will attend school after recovery. She thanked everyone for their prayers and praised the veterinarians for their exceptional care. Quincy is her beloved Labradoodle dog among other three furry friends, who belong to her parents.
Collins’ dedication off the court mirrors her resilience on it. Let’s take a look at that-
Collins rising strong from early struggles to WTA Glory
Though she started 2024 with early exits, she gained momentum with quarterfinal runs in Qatar and the ATX Open. Her breakthrough came at the Miami Open, where she shined. On her way to clinch the trophy, she beat the likes of Caroline Garcia and Ekaterina Alexandrova before conquering Elena Rybakina. In the title clash, Collins beat the 2022 Wimbledon champion with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-3. Reacting to her grand win, she later said, “In my home state, to come out here in front of thousands of my best friends pushing me to get over this hurdle, I was getting very emotional,” reported Tennis Channel in March 2024. Ranked No.53, before the event, the victory propelled the lowest-ranked Miami champion to her career-best, No.22, spot.
At the Charleston Open, Collins stormed through the draw, defeating Badosa, Jabeur, and Stephens before overcoming Mertens and Sakkari. She dominated Kasatkina 6-2, 6-1 in the final, becoming the first woman since Serena Williams (2013) to win back-to-back Miami and Charleston titles. The victory propelled her ranking from No. 22 to No. 15, her highest since January 2023.
When she steps on the court this week in Charleston, Collins may face a tough road. Why so? Apart from her, other solid compatriots like Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys are also competing at the WTA 500 tournament. With her ATX Open win and then making it to the final of the Miami Open, Pegula is seeded No.1. Collins has a strong Charleston record, reaching the last four in the past two seasons but falling to Kasatkina in 2024. Meanwhile, 2025 AO champ Madison Keys, the 2019 Charleston winner, aims for her second title.
With Pegula and Keys’ presence, Collins may find it slightly tough to clinch her second straight Charleston trophy. But her generous act shown to the little girl is something fans will keep marveling at. Similar to how an ATP star’s kindhearted gesture swayed everyone last week in Miami.
When Novak Djokovic showed an admirable gesture toward a young fan
The 24-time Slam king was in Miami last week, chasing his 100th ATP title. Sadly, his dream broke on Sunday, after losing against 19-year-old Czechian sensation Jakub Mensik. But Novak Djokovic still swayed the fans – not with his performance, but his generosity.
During the campaign, ahead of his QF clash against Sebastian Korda, the Serbian was seen having a heartwarming interaction with a little kid. Moments before stepping on the court, Djokovic talked to him with a broad smile on his face. When he asked whether it was his first time, in a professional match, the kid replied, “yes”. The Serbian then asked him “Excited?” To this, the young fan responded, “Super Excited.”
Later, Djokovic told him that when they would enter the court, they would wave everyone. Hearing him, the kid then replied, “Especially that it’s with you.” It was simply heart-touching to witness this moment, showing Nole’s humane side. But it wasn’t the first time he showed it to the world. Back in 2023, during the US Open, Djoker was seen interacting with a fan at the practice court. Seeing a 6-year-old kid watching him play, he asked the little one his name. After hearing the name, the former World No.1 replied, “Hello Ricky. You have the most beautiful smile, Ricky.”
Later, it was revealed that Ricky wrote a special note to Djokovic, on his mother’s phone, two years prior! In the note, the kid expressed his wish to meet the Serbian at the US Open. Guess what? His wish finally came true! Once he got to know about this story, Djokovic replied, “Wow, two years ago, you wrote a note – you want to see me at the US Open. Here we go. We made it happen. Thank you, buddy. I love you.” Clearly, the Serbian knows his way to a kid’s heart. Doesn’t he? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.
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