In one of the biggest upsets of the 2025 WTA season, Danielle Collins stunned the tennis world by defeating former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets at the Italian Open. But despite delivering a performance that ended her six-match losing streak against the Polish star, Collins says the victory felt hollow—because most of the spotlight remained fixed on her opponent.
Danielle Collins outshines Iga Swiatek in Rome
The American veteran stormed past Swiatek with a commanding 6-1, 7-5 win in the third round at Foro Italico. It was arguably Danielle Collins' finest outing this year and marked her first victory over a top-10 player in 2025. Additionally, it was just the third time in her career that she had defeated a player ranked inside the top two of the WTA Rankings.
Despite the magnitude of the win, much of the media coverage and fan chatter revolved around Iga Swiatek’s form, which has dipped considerably since her 2025 French Open triumph. The loss also meant the Polish star would fall outside the top three for the first time in years, slipping down to World No. 5.
“Didn’t Get a Ton of Credit” – Collins Opens Up
Speaking ahead of her next tournament in Strasbourg, Collins didn’t hold back when asked about the fallout from her big win. The 31-year-old expressed her frustration with how the narrative shifted away from her achievement and focused more on Iga Swiatek’s struggles.
“Yeah, I thought I played really well against you know Iga, I didn’t get a ton of credit for it,” Danielle Collins told Tennis Channel.
“Like after the match of course, you know, it’s just more about how poorly you know she [Swiatek] played and everything.
But that can make it difficult to be able to celebrate your win sometimes, when you feel like you have a good match, or you’re playing well and it’s just like: ‘Whatever.’
So yeah, I was happy about it, but yeah, dealing with that wasn’t, it wasn’t as fun as I imagined.”
Eyes on Roland Garros
Now ranked World No. 46, Collins is using this win as a stepping stone as she prepares for the French Open. With her confidence restored and a bit of fire in her belly, she will be one to watch in the lead-up to the second Grand Slam of the year.
While Iga Swiatek’s ranking dip made headlines, Danielle Collins’ gritty and dominant performance served as a reminder of her potential to shake up the WTA hierarchy. And with her recent comments, she’s made it clear: she’s not here to be overlooked.