Danielle Collins receives a bouquet of flowers after the latter played we She left her career open because she didn't want to feel like “Gaylord” – a fictional character played by Ben Stiller in the 2000 film Conheça os Pais.
Collins lost in a tough first round match at her last Grand Slam before retiring, also suffering a shock defeat to American star Caroline Dolehide.
She left the press as tournament director Stacey Allaster tried to present her with a huge bouquet of flowers to commemorate her career.
In his post-match report to his press pool, after Dolehide, ranked 49th in the world, won 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, Collins, the 11th-ranked player, explained why he planned to bid farewell.
“Nobody likes to commemorate my conquests,” Collins, 30, said after his unexpected passing at Flushing Meadows.
“I fought against the guilt about the event. I didn't enjoy my moment very much. I'd rather do something like this, perhaps privately.
“I feel like I’ve gotten enough attention to last me a lifetime.” I was thinking of the movie Meet the Parents or Meet the Fockers where Gaylord got his sanctuary and all the 18th place medals. I don’t want to be like Gaylord – so you can be!
What is Danielle Collins?
Danielle Collins is an American tennis player born in St. Petersburg, Florida. She has won four WTA Tour titles and currently holds her career-high ranking of No. 7 in the world.
The 30-year-old is currently ranked 11th in the world and impressively won the Miami Open earlier this year.
Her best performance at a Grand Slam was two years ago, when she was named vice-champion in Australia.
What is the “gaylord” of meeting the parents?
Meet the Parents is a 2000 comedy film starring Ben Stiller in the lead role, while there are several other famous faces in the film, including Robert De Niro.
The character, played by Stiller and Greg Focker, was later revealed to be “Gaylord”.
He made two subsequent films, including Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010).
Mais: Nick Kyrgios slams critics after controversial view on Jannik Sinner's treatment
Mais: Aryna Sabalenka ready to overcome US Open opener with win at Flushing Meadows
