“How about that?!” If tennis matches had taglines, this one would be a showstopper! The phrase echoed louder than the aces as Danielle Collins faced off against Destanee Aiava in a clash that felt more like a showdown between Collins and the crowd. The Aussie crowd was in full swing, booing and jeering, but true to her “Danimal” persona, Collins didn’t hold back. Was it passion spilling over? Or was it just one of those chaotic tennis moments that make you go, this is why we watch! Here’s a closer look at the fiery drama that stole the spotlight beyond the scoreline!

The American tennis sensation stunned the last Aussie player in the WTA main draw, but not without challenges. Despite winning the first set, Collins was unable to maintain her rhythm and trailed 5-2 in the second set. Taking a surprising decision, she decided to opt for a medical timeout and was seemingly struggling with a foot issue. She also took medication to counter it and was soon back on the court. 

Despite making a strong return, Collins could not win the second set, and that’s where the drama began. She managed to bounce back in style and defeat the home favorite Aiava in a thrilling three-setter match, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2. Remember, a growing chorus of support for Aiava was seen throughout the match seemingly frustrating Collins a couple of times. She yelled at a spectator saying, “Shut up” at the beginning of the second set, which compelled the umpire to intervene to lower the decibels at the KIA Arena. And when Collins pulled out the victory, the booing from the crowd grew more intensely. But true to her nature, Collins did not stay in the backseat. 

She was seen blowing kisses in the direction of the roaring crowd, a gesture that came after her first set victory as well. This further angered the rowdy crowd that went on to boo against Collins during her on-court interview as well. When Collins was answering the first question, the boos seemingly interrupted her flow, and let’s just say, Collins decided to avenge. She received the boos with a broad smile and a bit of banter. 

In her on-court interview, she took a dig at her critics and said that those cheering against her had helped fund her upcoming holiday. “I was thinking during the match, I’m out of here, I might as well just take that big, fat paycheck,” she said, addressing the crowd. “CoCo [Vandeweghe, who was in her support box] and I, we love a good five-star vacation. So part of that cheque is going to go towards that. So thank you, guys, thanks for coming out here and supporting us tonight!” she added, with the crowd continuously increasing the intensity of jeers against her.

To add yet more fun to the already heated-up scenario, Collins concluded her on-court interview by saying, “Thank you guys, love ya.” This, however, is not the first time when Collins has shown this side of hers. 

In March 2024, the tennis community witnessed her sarcastically blowing a kiss to a hostile crowd in Miami. A month later, she engaged in a series of outbursts during her campaign at the Madrid Open. In fact, when she faced a heckler during her match against Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian, she did not fail to shut them down saying, “You come out in here and play, you do what I do, okay? Have a little more respect.” But guess what? Such moments do not impact the star player but rather act as an energy booster for her. 

Danielle Collins shares honest opinion on facing rowdy crowd in Melbourne

Facing a boisterous crowd often takes a toll on the players emotionally. But for Danielle Collins, it acts as a massive motivation for her to shine yet more brightly. When quizzed about how the boo from the crowd impacted her during the match, the 31-year-old displayed tremendous resilience and responded stoically. 

Speaking in the interview, she said, “I loved it. I’ve been doing this my whole life, I love playing in a crowd that has energy, regardless of what side they’re on. It just motivates me even more … I think it really helped me in the end.” Continuing further, she reiterated her stance about her critics paying her bills and said, “One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is the people that don’t like you and the people that hate you, they actually pay your bills. It’s kind of a cool concept. Every person that’s 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 further expressed her preparedness to face more such situations as she continued her campaign.

“Yeah, bring it on. I love it … All I have to say is seriously, good luck trying to get under the skin of somebody that really doesn’t care,” ‘Danimal’ added. As the tournament evolves, it will be interesting to see if more such exchanges take place between the Aussie crowd and Danielle Collins. Can she keep her momentum amidst the roaring fans? That remains to be seen.