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Danielle Collins, the American tennis star, once again faced a rowdy crowd as she took to the court for her third-round match against Madison Keys at the Australian Open. The 31-year-old received loud jeers from the crowd, but remained unfazed, smiling and waving in response.
Collins faces heckling in the second round
In her previous match against home favourite Destanee Aiava, Collins was heckled by the Australian crowd during her 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 victory. Despite the hostile reception, she responded with confidence, cupping her ear and blowing kisses to the stands. Later, in an unforgettable moment, Collins thanked the crowd for "paying my bills", a remark that garnered attention both on and off the court.
A strong response to the booing
As she stepped onto the court for her match against Keys, the hostile crowd once again made their presence known. However, Collins seemed to relish the challenge.
Eurosport pundit Laura Robson commented on her reaction: “She got booed quite loudly but I think if anything that’s going to spur her on even more. Danielle loves it. I think she almost pre-empted it and gave it one of the ‘get louder’ motions as she came out.”
Tim Henman, also commenting on the match, observed, “She’s had a chuckle about it.” Despite the loud boos, Collins appeared determined and ready to play, but the crowd’s behaviour continued into the opening game. The audience sarcastically cheered when she landed her first serve, adding to the tension.
Shaky start, but resilience in the face of hostility
Though Collins started her match with an early break and struggled with some shaky moments, she remained composed. Her winning points were met with subdued applause, as the crowd seemed to back Keys more enthusiastically.
Nevertheless, Collins has embraced her role as the "pantomime villain" in Melbourne, and after her victory over Aiava, she seemed to intentionally stir the pot, commenting on how the negativity from the crowd benefits her financially.
Embracing the hate: “they pay my bills”
Collins, unbothered by the heckling, made an interesting point about the pressure of being a professional athlete. She remarked, “One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is that the people that don’t like you and the people that hate you, they actually pay your bills. My professional career is not going to last forever so I just remind myself every day when I have that kind of stuff, they’re paying my bills.”
Her unshakable attitude continued to make headlines, as she further added, “Every person that has bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do, it’s all going towards the Danielle Collins fund.”
Collins reached her first Grand Slam final in Melbourne in 2022, where she lost to Aussie Ash Barty. This year, she seems poised for another deep run, with the winner of her match against Keys facing off against Elena Rybakina. However, Rybakina’s fitness remains in question due to a back problem, and she admitted that her physio would need to work a "miracle" to get her ready for the upcoming match.
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