Overview

• Collins lost her opening match at the Cincinnati Open to Taylor Townsend, breaking down mid–tiebreak as she cried, “Why is this happening to me?” and exiting the court without her bag.
• Taylor Townsend retrieved Collins’s forgotten belongings and returned them to her team, a gesture widely praised as a display of sportsmanship.
• On Instagram, Collins revealed she had competed through a herniated disc, writing, “Anyone who has a herniated disc knows my pain” in response to critics.
• She called out ‘keyboard warriors’ who mocked her emotional reaction, thanking those who have sent prayers and support for her recovery.
• Early exits in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati have seen Collins’s ranking slip to around No. 58 as she focuses on healing before the US Open.