Danielle Collins, touchée par "une maladie inflammatoire chronique qui affecte la capacité à tomber enceinte", a annoncé en janvier que 2024 serait sa dernière saison sur le circuit. Mais cela ne veut pas dire que l'Américaine ne peut pas encore faire des ravages. Et elle l'a prouvé tout au long de cette quinzaine au Miami Open. Impériale, la joueuse de 30 ans a remporté ce samedi soir devant son public le prestigieux WTA 1000 Floridien en prenant le dessus sur la n°4 mondiale Elena Rybakina en finale, 7-5, 6-3. Dans sa dernière saison, l'Américaine est surmotivée et décroche ici son troisième et plus beau titre en carrière, après son WTA 250 à Palerme et son WTA 500 à San José. Une sacrée manière de célébrer cette dernière saison sur le circuit. Lundi, elle fera un bond de plus de 30 places au classement, à la 22e place mondiale.
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00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:04 Really ready to hold that trophy.
00:06 That was a battle.
00:08 This whole week has been tough.
00:10 I've played against some of the toughest competitors, some
00:12 of the best players in the world.
00:13 And to be out here and share the court with Alaina
00:16 during the finals, you've had an incredible tournament.
00:19 Incredible couple last few years, and so well-deserved.
00:22 It's been incredible seeing you evolve over the years.
00:24 And I'm always rooting you on.
00:27 So yeah, I'm sure and hopefully we'll play more finals.
00:31 Thank you to everybody involved in this tournament.
00:41 James, it's so crazy having grown up watching you
00:46 and now being out here playing in your tournament.
00:49 And the way that you've run this tournament and the people
00:51 that you have involved behind the scenes,
00:54 this is the type of tournaments that we want to have.
00:57 This is the type of places and the environment
00:59 we want to be in.
01:00 And these are the facilities, too.
01:02 So yeah, thank you for all the hard work.
01:06 And it's a year-long job, longer than that.
01:10 And I know you have a lot of sleepless nights
01:12 with these two weeks.
01:14 So thank you for all you do.
01:25 And the volunteers, thank you so much.
01:27 Everyone from the locker room attendants to the ball kids
01:31 to drivers to player support staff and everybody on the WTA,
01:38 working for the WTA and uplifting our day
01:41 and making this a positive work environment, thank you so much.
01:46 Marty, Alex, two of my favorite people on tour,
01:51 the physical therapists, keeping us healthy.
01:54 And obviously, I've had a lot of health challenges.
01:57 And it's been a really long journey for me.
01:59 And I know every week when I come to the tournaments,
02:01 I know the WTA physios have our back.
02:03 And they would literally do anything for us.
02:06 They have their phones on in the middle of the night
02:08 if something comes up.
02:09 And they're the first people that get here in the morning.
02:12 And the last people that leave, thank you
02:14 for everything that you do.
02:16 You guys don't get enough credit.
02:18 [APPLAUSE]
02:21 Thank you to all of the security staff, too, this week.
02:28 This is when-- the safest I've felt in an event.
02:32 And we don't talk about that stuff a lot.
02:35 But it really means a lot.
02:37 So thank you for everybody keeping us safe this week
02:39 and looking out for us and making
02:42 this a positive environment.
02:43 To the fans, I mean, I have--
02:46 [APPLAUSE]
02:49 I've played a lot of tennis.
02:53 And I've played a few finals, but nothing close to this.
02:58 To play in my home state, in a tournament
03:00 that I used to watch on TV as a kid, my dad said,
03:04 if you're not playing in the tournament, you're not going.
03:06 So I had to work really hard to get here and to come out here
03:10 and feel like I'm playing in front of thousands
03:12 of my best friends.
03:13 And everybody that was pushing me to get over this hurdle
03:16 today, it just meant the world.
03:19 I was getting very emotional.
03:20 And I had to keep telling myself,
03:22 leave those emotions in the locker room
03:24 and wait till after the match.
03:27 It was just an incredible environment.
03:28 I've never experienced anything like it.
03:30 Thank you to everyone.
03:32 [APPLAUSE]
03:38 To all of the sponsors this week, the Tau.
03:43 All of the sponsors, I am starting
03:48 to get a little bit tired.
03:49 My blood sugar's low.
03:50 So I'm probably going to forget a few.
03:53 But thank you so much for supporting women's tennis
03:56 and letting me and all of the other women on tour
03:59 live in our dreams.
04:00 We would not be able to get to do this without your support.
04:03 And it makes me emotional being able to see the prize
04:08 money and the purse that we play for,
04:10 and also just the support that we get from you guys all week.
04:13 Thank you so much for what you do for us.
04:15 [APPLAUSE]
04:18 And to all of my friends and family here this week,
04:26 Kim, Ben, Brian, Brian, India, Jimmy Arias,
04:36 we've gone back, all of us, a long time.
04:39 And Jimmy surprised me today.
04:41 He was here for the first few matches.
04:43 And he's someone that I've looked up to my whole life.
04:47 And to have somebody like him in my corner,
04:51 and to go to to ask for advice, thank you for supporting me
04:56 and being such an encouraging figure.
04:59 And Caroline and Sterling, some of my best friends are here.
05:04 It's just amazing having this support.
05:06 And I couldn't think of a better way
05:09 to win my first 1,000 event.
05:11 So it means the world to me.
05:13 [APPLAUSE]
05:17 I hope I'm not forgetting anything.
05:21 Am I forgetting anything?
05:23 Am I forgetting anything?
05:24 Danielle, I think the only thing we're forgetting to do
05:27 is to give you that beautiful trophy.
05:28 Are you ready?
05:29 Are you ready?
05:30 Let's do it.
05:31 OK?
05:31 Let's do that.
05:32 [INAUDIBLE]
05:32 Thank you, guys.
05:34 (upbeat music)