Danielle Collins, one of the most prosperous tennis players to get out of the university system, showed her support for other players who transition from NCAA tennis to the professional tour. Although ATP and WTA Tours see many players still at university, they run a crucial risk – lose the price of tournaments.
According to the rules at present, an NCAA player cannot earn more than $ 10,000 in a calendar year. This is calculated after the spending of the player of the year are deducted, but the players finish mostly by lacking big pieces of their hardly won money.
Case in point: Oliver Tarvet, currently playing for San Diego in the NCAA, reached the second round at Wimbledon 2025. The price for a player reaching the second round in SW19 is £ 99,000. However, if he wants to continue playing in the college division, Tarvet will have to give up an important part of this money.
Asked about the same thing at his press conference in Wimbledon, Collins, who won the title of simple NCAA twice for the University of Virginia, was rather shocked. The American hoped that a kind of solution could be found in the future at least to help college players settle for life.
“I thought there would be a certain type of change, or maybe it was just my hypothesis,” Said Collins. “It’s a bit interesting that you cannot accept (money price). I want there to be a type of solution.”
Danielle Collins launched the idea of a type of pension fund for NCAA players, saying:
“If the concern is that the player accepts money as a professional art and therefore they are professional athletes, there may be a means that there can be a fair part that goes to a 401K fund or a type of retirement that you are unable to touch up to 65.”
The former finalist of the Australian Open, who has won more than $ 600,000 at the Tourné des Singles so far, has insisted that all athletes have the right to obtain the advantages of their success, hoping that an idea out of the box will soon help to solve this problem.
“Any athlete should be put in a position to set up to succeed. I have the impression that there is a solution to this kind of thing. I think that sometimes it forces people to think a little outside the box. It would be pretty cool if they could put it in something like a retirement fund,” said Danielle Collins.
“”Then this is not spent in an irresponsible way, but helps a university athlete who worked very hard to find their future, “she added.
Danielle Collins: “The college gives you more time to grow and develop”
During the press conference, Danielle Collins also explained how college players benefit from the system, noting that it helped them take more time to develop more mentally than players who go directly to professional tours.
“I have the impression that there are so many players now who cross the college tennis system and who are doing very well”, “ Said Collins.
“I have the impression that the university gives you a little more time to grow and develop. Not necessarily physically, but I think that mentally, and it is the most important thing. I do not think that many people are equipped to deal with stress and pressure that accompany a professional sport, especially an individual sport, ”she added.
Collins herself reached the second round in Wimbledon, where she will then face Veronika Erjavec.
Published by Shyam Kamal
