NEW YORK — Danielle Collins unceremoniously packed up her bag and quickly headed for the exit at Louis Armstrong Stadium, as US Open tournament director Stacey Allaster followed behind her, awkwardly carrying a bouquet of flowers. Collins had just lost to Caroline Dolehide in three sets in the final major singles match of her career, and possibly her last singles match ever.
The tournament organizers had wanted to celebrate the career of the former world No. 7 and 2022 Australian Open finalist — as they had done on court the day before for 2020 champion Dominic Thiem and two-time quarterfinalist Diego Schwartzman — but Collins simply wasn’t interested.
“I had requested not to have any presentation on the court,” Collins, currently ranked No. 11, told reporters after the match Tuesday, with audible exhaustion in her voice. “I’m not somebody that likes to celebrate my accomplishments.”
Hours later, the tournament got its chance for an on-court celebration as Collins’ fellow American Shelby Rogers, who had announced that the US Open would be her final tournament last week, officially wrapped her career. Rogers, a two-time major quarterfinalist, including at the 2020 US Open, had fallen to Jessica Pegula in the first round 6-4, 6-3. But even in her disappointment, Rogers seemed moved by the gesture and by those who had stayed in the stands to honor her. She smiled widely when Allaster approached her after the match, and as a tribute video was shown.
“I expected to feel a lot of emotions, but the main one is just gratitude,” Rogers said to the crowd, which included several tearful family members. “Gratitude for all the amazing moments and some tough ones on this court, too. But [it’s] really special that I’m able to play here one more time.”
While the reactions of Rogers, 31, and Collins, 30, couldn’t have been more different — and perhaps perfectly embodied their distinct personalities — their collective farewell to the US Open and sport marks the end of an era for two of the most cherished American women on tour. For the past decade, both have represented the U.S. on numerous occasions as part of the team at the Billie Jean King Cup. Rogers was a part of the squad that won the title in 2017, and Collins has been a key member during the past four editions and also played on the Olympic team in Paris this summer.
“Danielle has meant a lot to the team,” former Billie Jean King Cup team captain and 2024 Olympic coach Kathy Rinaldi told ESPN in the spring. “I think her record speaks for itself, but I think she’s just the type of player that you want. She’s a fighter.
“You always know what you’re going to get from Danielle. She’s super competitive. She wants to do well, not for herself so much, but for her country, for her teammates, and I know that just sharing that bench with her over the years, she just would leave everything out there on the court, and you can’t ask for anything more than that.”
Collins and Rogers have provided countless memorable moments on the court during their professional careers. Collins, who was unsure Tuesday if she would be able to play the rest of the season because of injuries and “health stuff,” has won four WTA titles — including this season in Miami and Charleston — and has become a beloved and somewhat polarizing figure for her frequent “Come on!” yells and undeniable competitive fire.
Rogers, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 30 in 2022, recorded upset wins over Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Ashleigh Barty in her career. Her victory over Barty, who was ranked No. 1 in the world and had won Wimbledon earlier that year, at the 2021 US Open in front of a packed crowd on Ashe firmly etched her in tournament lore.
Popular among her peers in the locker room, even Barty was happy for Rogers after the match.
“It sucks in tennis that there’s a winner and loser every single day, but sometimes you don’t mind losing to certain people,” Barty said. “I think Shelby, in a sense of her personality and her character, she’s certainly one of those for me.”
While neither Rogers nor Collins won a major, and both have been plagued by injuries and ailments in recent months, they each certainly left their mark on the game and on American tennis.
And for Pegula, who remembers playing Rogers in sectional tournaments in Georgia when they were both young teenagers, it’s a bittersweet reminder of the inevitable conclusion for all professional athletes. Pegula cried on court after the match when speaking about Rogers.
“It’s crazy to me that, obviously I know she had a lot of injuries, but to see people my age retiring — her, Danielle, it’s sad,” Pegula, 30, said before the tournament got underway. “Being able to end your career at the US Open and play each other, it’s pretty amazing when you look at it that way … at least it comes full circle in some way or another. I hope she’s looking forward to what’s coming after.”