Beyond the baseline, Danielle Collins has a powerful secret weapon—her beloved dog Quincy, affectionately known as ‘Mr. Q.’ More than just a pet, he’s her confidante, her good luck charm, and, according to her, the real MVP behind her 2024 Miami Open victory. But Collins’ love for animals doesn’t stop with her own furry family.
Fresh off her Round of 32 victory against Rebeka Masarova, the American tennis star stunned fans by sharing an emotional story of a heartbreaking encounter with a stray dog in Miami.
“The other night, we were leaving the stadium when we saw this dog curled up in the middle of the road. He got hit by a car,” Collins revealed during her on-court interview. “I just knew we had to stop. We pulled over and got him out of the street.”
The dog, now named ‘Crash’ after the tragic accident, was rushed to an animal hospital, where he remains in critical condition. “He’s been in the hospital for two days now. We’re hoping to adopt him. If everyone can send some prayers and good energy to my little baby, that would be great.”
A Champion With a Soft Spot for Strays
Collins, known as ‘The Danimal’ on the court, has a deep connection with animals. She already has four dogs—Scout, Lola (Apple Pie), Harper, and Quincy—and has often spoken about how much comfort they bring her, especially during grueling tournaments.
“Yeah, I have one dog, and my parents have three dogs. They are so fun to be around. When I travel, we have to be away from each other for so long. My dog Quincy is a mix,” she said in a press conference.
Her bond with Quincy is undeniable. Even during training sessions, he’s never far from her side. At Indian Wells, all four of her dogs were spotted courtside as she prepped for her matches. And now, with Quincy in Miami, Collins believes he’s her good luck charm.
After securing her second-round victory over Sorana Cîrstea, she made sure to acknowledge her biggest supporter—her furry friend. As she signed the camera, she left a simple yet heartfelt message: “Hi Quincy.”
“I have never made a final of a tournament with my dog here before,” she admitted. “That has had a positive impact for sure. I’m learning that my weeks are better with Mr. Q.”
Collins Prepares for a Showdown Against Aryna Sabalenka
As touching as her story about Crash is, Collins knows she has an even bigger challenge ahead—taking down World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round of the Miami Open.
The defending champion has been on fire, extending her unbeaten run in Miami to nine matches. After opening her title defense with a 6-4, 7-6(3) win over Sorana Cîrstea, she battled through a grueling three-setter against Rebeka Masarova in the third round. But now, she faces an uphill battle.
Sabalenka, on the other hand, has been in dominant form. The top seed breezed past Viktoriya Tomova 6-3, 6-0 before advancing to the fourth round after Elena-Gabriela Ruse retired due to injury.
Collins and Sabalenka have met six times since 2018, and every single time, the Belarusian has come out on top. But this time, Collins has home-court advantage.
Will Miami magic and a little extra motivation from her four-legged companions help her finally crack the Sabalenka code? Let us know what you think!
