AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 14, 2023

Danielle Collins

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Danielle, welcome back to Melbourne. How have your preparations been for your 2023 Australian Open campaign?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, well, I definitely got a lot of matches under my belt in Adelaide, so that was nice. Last year I didn't get to play any of the warmup tournaments, and was disappointed about that. It was really nice to be able to go back to Adelaide. I played there a couple years before and really enjoyed it.

Yeah, I had a great time. We started the Cooking with Collins 2, which was super fun. Yeah, some good memories there and great match play. I feel like I'm match-ready for here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In terms of the preparation and the matches that you played in Adelaide, obviously a tough loss in the last one, but what did you feel like you were progressing with the most and where did you still feel you'll need a few matches here to kind of sharpen up?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, I think just playing some long matches and being challenged. Coming off especially like the last match, being in positions where I had opportunities, and I put myself in a position to win it but unfortunately didn't. I think those challenges, sometimes you learn from them and then you're able to handle the situations better when you move forward to the next matches.

Yeah, I was kind of happy that I got some of that out of my system, faced those challenges early on, especially in the first match, first tournament against Rybakina, playing against a big server, trying to break her serve as much as I could. Only got a few.

But, yeah, I think just playing against tough opponents, playing long matches, working on the stamina, getting back into it after a good preseason and some time off.

Q. When you think of being on the court last year, on finals day, watching somebody else hold the trophy in the end, do you at any time visualize yourself with that trophy, or can you not afford to do that as a tennis player?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, I think as a tennis player, we're so wrapped up in our process and just doing what we need to do each day to kind of better our games and best prepare. Honestly, I don't really think about it too often. I mean, it's just so far in the rearview mirror, it's almost a year ago.

Obviously wonderful memories playing here last year. Really gave me a lot of confidence within my game knowing that I can beat top players, make it that far in a slam, handle pressure pretty well.

To be honest, yeah, it's just not something I think about much because, I mean, I'm not totally consumed with my tennis. 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 (smiling).

Q. Is there something such as a special pressure you're feeling now here as being the runner-up, defending the final, or is just a normal Grand Slam feeling for you?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, I mean, I had good success here last year, but in my mind I just want to come here and try to have another good tournament.

I would be probably disappointed if I don't. If I do, I'd be really pumped about it. So, yeah, I don't know if I'm really feeling like a lot of pressure.

Yeah, I've been really focused on just trying to do what I need to do each day to improve within my game, try to get me to a point where I can get back to that level and try to make some deep runs.

Yeah, I'm kind of just wrapped up more in the process than anything.

Q. Having a lot going on outside of tennis, do you think that's important for a tennis player? Stefanos Tsitsipas was in here just before you saying he worries about some younger players that seem to be obsessed with the sport, eat, sleep, and breathe it.

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, I mean, I think it's like that in anything. I think balance is really important. It's not just tennis players, I think a lot of people get wrapped up in their work, in their careers, are so focused on it, trying to be the best that they can be.

Sometimes it's hard when you're traveling 30 weeks out of the year to kind of manage that. Most of my days revolve around my tennis, to be honest. I'm practicing, I'm training, I'm recovering, doing all of the things that I need to do to be my best. 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 because I just have so many other things that are really exciting and fun going on in my life where I don't feel like tennis is the be-all, end-all.

Obviously I want to perform well. I'm obviously doing everything that I can to put myself in the best situation to play great tennis. But, I don't know, I think too as you get a little bit older, you feel maybe a better sense of perspective, too. You look at things bigger picture, not so much just like right here, right now.

I don't know...

Q. How closely do you study the draw, your section of the draw?

DANIELLE COLLINS: I'll be honest. I actually never look at the draw (smiling). I know a couple of other players on tour are also like that.

I think that also, too, just speaks to, for us as professional tennis players and athletes, like, we have to focus on our process. That's how you ultimately kind of get to the end result.

Obviously for people watching and family, friends, whoever, coaches, they're going to be paying closer attention to those details.

I think for us, we have to focus so much on our games. Ultimately, if we focus too much on the other things, how are we going to go out and really have our minds clear for a match?

Yeah, I don't really look at the draws. Sometimes after I finish matches, I go into a press conference, I go into the area where we all cool down. I'm like, Who do I play next? I have no idea who I play.

Other times too where people share with me, like, who I end up playing, what side of the draw I'm on. But, yeah, I mean, I just don't really get too wrapped up in that.

I think, too, no matter what draw you have, like, you have to win your matches, so... It doesn't matter who you play, especially at this level, the depth is so strong across the board on the women's side. You really have to do your homework and be paying attention to each person you're playing, looking into the stats, understanding their games. I think that's where most of our attention goes.

Q. Was there something special 12 months ago when you arrived in Melbourne? Were you particularly feeling really good mentally or physically, the way you were hitting the ball? Are you a superstitious person? Do you try to recapture that feeling?

DANIELLE COLLINS: Yeah, I think I'm like the opposite of a superstitious person. I don't really ever do anything, like the same thing, like over and over again, except for get my coffee at the same place every day. I was going to the same coffee shop, A Thousand Blessings in Richmond. I don't know, that could maybe be like a superstition a little bit.

I don't know. Every year I come here, I'm always really comfortable. 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.

I think the climate here is really similar to Florida where I grew up, so I'm really used to kind of playing in the hot conditions, and I like that. I think there's a lot of similarities between here and where I grew up playing.

I'm just comfortable playing in this type of climate, so I think that kind of helps me play my best tennis, feel like I'm hitting the ball well.

Yeah, I mean, I was coming off of recovering from COVID last year, and almost wasn't able to get to be here. I remember I got drug tested before I came. I still was having some side effects after. I remember the drug tester saying, Are you going to be able to go to Australia?

I honestly wasn't really feeling my best. I had some challenges, like, during the entire tournament. But I was able to play some of my best tennis, be able to problem solve. I think just the head space I was in mentally to be able to work through those things, I think that's what ultimately kind of led me to getting as far as I did in the tournament.

It wasn't necessarily how I was hitting the ball or how fast I was serving or my percentage. It was just I think the way I was able to kind of problem solve through some of those tough moments.