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Fiery American WTA star Danielle Collins will be a notable absentee at the 2026 Australian Open. The 2022 Melbourne runner-up’s absence at this year’s edition of the hardcourt Major primarily stems from her decision to undergo ‘egg freezing’, a fertility treatment intended to help the 32-year-old start a family. Collins, despite her willigness and desire to have children, has endometriosis, a medical condition that involves complications with natural pregnancy.
Last year, the WTA announced that players undergoing egg-freezing and other treatments related to fertility would be offered protected rankings upon making their comebacks. This development further encouraged Collins to sit out the 2026 Australian Open and other tournaments in the first part of the brand new tennis season for undergoing the fertility treatment.
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It was in late December 2025 that Danielle Collins made the official announcement regarding her 2026 Australian Open absence. Apart from the update regarding the egg-freezing treatment she had been undergoing, she also shared that she had been recovering from a back problem that cut short her 2025 season.
“I’ve been taking the last few months off to recover from the back injury I had at the end of the season. I’ve also been undergoing a few egg freezing procedures. It’s been one of the coolest things I’ve honestly ever done! But at the same time these hormones I have had to be on are a real b****,” Danielle Collins wrote on Instagram.
Danielle Collins disclosed ‘complicated’ reality at last year’s Australian Open after deciding to extend career
Danielle Collins had originally announced that the 2024 tennis season would mark her farewell year as a professional tennis player because of her desire to start a family. However, she later backtracked on the decision and chose to extend her playing career because of the fertility challenges stemming from her endometriosis. She candidly touched on the subject during a press conference at last year’s Australian Open, saying:
“I think it’s just the amount of time it’s going to probably take for me to be able to start a family. That process with my endometriosis.. there’s some additional challenges that come along with being able to have kids.”
Collins added:
“I’ve had days consistently when I cry every day and freaking out.. it’s not a fun thing. Sure I could try to get some of the stuff started. The physical challenges that come along with that for me are a bit more complex.”
For the time being, Collins is working as a Tennis Channel analyst.
Edited by Sudipto Pati
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