This isn’t how it was supposed to be. Danielle Collins lost in the first round of her final Grand Slam tournament before retiring from tennis, in an upset defeat to compatriot Caroline Dolehide, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
As Collins left the court, tournament director Stacey Allaster attempted to present the American with flowers, in the pre-planned send-off that has become such a feature of tennis this year. Collins gave them short shrift.
After dominating the first set, the world No. 11 faced a resilient Dolehide, who was coming off a run of losing to either Collins or Coco Gauff at every Grand Slam this year, but that baggage didn’t seem to affect her as she edged a tight second set.
Having levelled the match, the key moment came at 4-3* on Collins’s serve. A Collins mistake gave Dolehide the chance to serve for it at 5-3. Collins broke back, thumping a forehand into the deuce court.
Dolehide, however, was not to be denied, with another loose error on match point ending Collins’s Grand Slam career. Read more below.
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Danielle Collins upset by Caroline Dolehide in U.S. Open first round and final Grand Slam
