Her screams of encouragement could be heard all over the IMG tennis courts.

Yes, Danielle Collins of St Pete was back home getting her work in last week, getting ready for her next pro tournament in Acapulco.

"It’s really cool to be here now 10 years later and working with a lot of the same faces I was working with 10 years ago and I think that’s what makes IMG so special", says Danielle.

The 25-year old local product is becoming a rising star on the professional tennis tour, coming off the best year of her career.

Danielle ended last season ranked number 36 in the world, a jump of over 130 spots from the year before.

"When we sat down at the end of the year last year one of my goals was to make the second week of the slam and I did that within the first three weeks of the year".

2019 started with a bang, In January, Danielle made a run at the first grand slam of the year, the Australian open that served as a wake-up call to the tennis world.

"Having that run definitely gave me some confidence beating some top players and now I think I can use this as good momentum for the rest of the year". says a confident Collins when looking back on the experience.

In her 5 wins at the Australian Open, Danielle knocked off three top 20 players, but the one that got everyone’s attention was the round of 16 win against the number two player in the world, Angelique Kerber

"I love to prove people wrong even though I’ve proven myself on the court and have nothing to prove at this point because I showed people that I can play at the highest level and I can go out and beat any player on any given day".

The wins down under were Danielle’s first at a major in her career and it jump started a run up the world rankings list as well. Currently the Northeast High grad is ranked number 24 in the world and the fourth highest ranked American female.

"This is just the beginning of the season too , so I think there’s a lot to build off of now that I’ve had that result, so just focusing on, ya know the goals that I have in front of me for the rest of the year".

2019 is already off a great start for the former two-time NCAA Singles Champion of of the University of Virginia.

Collins, who resides in St. Pete and who's parents still live in the same house Danielle grew up, comes from a blue collar background, her work ethic models after mom and dad.

Mom a pre-school teacher, and her father at eighty years old still wakes up every morning to cut peoples lawns for his landscaping business.

It's that drive that has her on the fast track of the professional tennis circuit.