Danielle Collins has spoken candidly about the emotional scene that unfolded during her first-round loss at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, revealing the injury pain that fueled her visible frustration on court.
The American took to social media to address the incident, hitting back at online criticism while expressing gratitude to fans and opponent Taylor Townsend.
What Sparked Danielle Collins’ Emotional Outburst in Cincinnati?
The 31-year-old, presently battling a herniated disc, drew concern from spectators after breaking down in tears during a tense second-set tiebreak against Townsend.
Having already dropped the opening set 6-4, Collins fought to extend the match but trailed 2-0 in the breaker when she looked toward her box and screamed in pain, “Why is this happening to me?”
The crowd fell silent as her sobs echoed across the Grandstand. Townsend went on to close out the match 6-4, 7-6(2). As Collins stormed off the court, her opponent offered help by carrying her bag to her team.
The incident fueled considerable concern among the tennis community, while some fans also directed hate toward the American.
Don’t have a good feed clip, but here is Danielle Collins becoming VERY upset in the middle of the tiebreak.
Legit thought something horrible had happened. https://t.co/kmWiKr2fk5 pic.twitter.com/oSl7ekfQ3g
— Tick Tock Tennis (@TickTockTennis) August 8, 2025
Collins has addressed the moment directly on her Instagram stories, resharing a video clip of her emotional outburst and explaining the physical toll she has been enduring.
“Anyone who has a herniated disc knows my pain,” she wrote. “It’s no surprise the keyboard warriors can’t understand or relate, as they’ve been too busy sitting on their a**es judging people who show up and try to give it their best even on days that suck.”
She also thanked her supporters, adding, “Thank you to everyone who has been praying for my injury and thank you to @tay_taytownsend for being the best of the best.”
In her following story, she posted a heartwarming photo of her dog, Quincy, expressing gratitude for always being by her side. She wrote, “Shout to Mr.Q for always having my back (literally)! Dogs are the best. We can all take a note out of their book #unconditionallove”
How Has Collins Fared in Recent Cincinnati and Hard Court Campaigns?
Collins has now suffered a first-round exit in four of her five career appearances in Cincinnati. Her best run at the tournament came in 2023, when she reached the second round before falling 1-6, 0-6 to Iga Świątek.
The Cincinnati Open loss also marks Collins’ third straight early departure during her North American hard-court swing. She began the stretch with a straight-sets defeat to eighth seed Magda Linette at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. In Montreal, she opened with a win over qualifier Viktoriya Tomova but fell in the second round to fellow American Coco Gauff in three sets.
MORE: Danielle Collins Yells Toward Team, Breaks Down, Storms Off the Court Without Her Bags in Distressing Cincinnati Open Incident