It looks like Victoria Azarenka and Danielle Collins are hanging up their tennis racquets, at least for the foreseeable future.
Both last played at the 2025 US Open. The post 2026 US Open WTA rankings signify 12 months that each has played. Therefore, they earned no ranking points in the past year and are now classified as inactive by the WTA.
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Azarenka’s birthday message hinted at retirement
The former WTA World No. 1 from Belarus, Azarenka, has been quiet for the past year with the exception of a couple of social media messages.
The most poignant, on July 31, to commemorate her 37th birthday talked about the contentment she experienced in her life and the ability to spend her birthday with her family, something she could never do as a WTA player traveling the globe for 11 months each year.
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Collins said she was retiring after 2024 season
Collins had somewhat of a retirement tour after saying that the 2024 season would be her last. She came back in 2025.
Collins only told fans she was missing the first half of 2026 to recover from injury and fertility treatments. It is somewhat of a surprise that she did not rejoin the WTA Tour this summer. She did media work for the Tennis Channel during the course of the season.
Inactive status can change
Serena Williams showed us earlier this year that years of inactivity can be overturned. While it is likely the end of the road for Azarenka and Collins, we have learned to never say never as players change their minds or their circumstances change.
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