Danielle Collins: Marty Schneider, Jessica Pegula on how American No 1 can take next step after Australian Open

The first time Marty Schneider met Danielle Collins, she was fresh out of college and was contesting the qualifying rounds of the Connecticut Open in New Haven back in 2016. It was a hot and humid northeast summer day and Collins was sweating profusely. At some point during the third set, Collins asked the umpire if she could head off court for a quick change of clothes but he wouldn’t allow it.

Ad/> “So Danielle walked to the service line. It was her turn to serve, she took her racquet, she put it up against her knee and then she grabbed her skirt and she just wrung it out and made this puddle, which was very stark,” recalls Schneider. /> TennisAlcaraz comes from behind to beat Munar in Rio3 HOURS AGO «And she looked at the referee and the referee said, ‘okay, quickly just go’.

And I was like, I'm from New York. I like that. I like that attitude.

Like there's lots of ways of getting things done. And that was one way.” On court, Collins is a fiercely competitive, unapologetic character that knows how to make a point. At the time, the American two-time NCAA champion fit the criteria that Schneider used as a guide to select college tennis players that needed his help in transitioning to the professional tour.

Schneider describes himself as a philanthropist who believes in education. He recognises the difficulties faced by college graduates looking to make their way in the pro ranks and works with some of them to support them financially and help create an environment where they can reach their potential. Djokovic willing to miss majors rather than get vaccine 'Terrible for tennis' — Shriver on Djokovic decision Collins beaten by Barty in Australian Open final The three criteria on which he bases his selection are “that