The ‘Danimal’ is back! Known for her unapologetic attitude on the court, this WTA star hilariously lashed out at the Tennis Channel for indirectly calling her a “brat.” But not in the literal sense. While you may equate ‘brat’ to middle school angst, in this context, ‘brat’ is the furthest thing from it. Instead, it’s accepting imperfections and embracing chaos. And in this world of pop culture trends, Danielle Collins is the “mother” of ‘brat summer.’

It all started with pop singer Charli XCX’s most recent studio album called – you guessed it – Brat. Before it was released on June 7, with its lime green aesthetic and a low-resolution “brat” written in Aerial font, did you ever think this would become the next big trend in pop culture (and politics)? Well, it did, and while they usually stick to just on-court content, the Tennis Channel made the most of its opportunity!

The broadcaster’s official Instagram account posted a reel with the text, “Tennis is brat,” playing on Charli XCX’s tweet after Joe Biden stepped down in the presidential race, and Kamala Harris took over for him: “kamala IS brat.” The video captioned, “it’s a BRAT summer 🍏,” and tinted with the same lime green hue affiliated with the pop star’s album, featured everyone from Collins and Venus Williams to Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev, embracing their ‘bratty’ attitudes.

One of the clips of Collins was from the 2021 Silicon Valley Classic, where she played Daria Kasatkina in the finals, winning 6-3, 6-7, 6-1. However, during the match, there was a point where the American didn’t look in the best of moods, seemingly saying “shut up” to someone, either in the crowd or in her box. Either way, the stoic face and the eye rolls that followed were meme-worthy, which is why they made it to the Tennis Channel’s final cut. Once the 2024 Miami and Charleston Open winner saw the reel, she commented, “What twelve-year-old is running this account, and where are their parents? 🤣”

Keeping up with trends is what organizations have started doing. And following Danielle Collins’ hilarious dig, the Tennis Channel replied with another pop-culture reference: “Mother?” they questioned, very nonchalantly asking what she could even mean while also calling her an icon. While ‘brat’ may seem like it has a negative connotation, take it from Charli XCX – the creator of ‘brat summer.’ It isn’t.

Explaining the meaning behind the term, the pop singer said in a TikTok, “You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes. Who feels herself but maybe also has a breakdown. But kind of parties through it, is very honest, very blunt. A little bit volatile. Like, does dumb things. But it’s brat. You’re brat. That’s brat.” As for the other “brats,” in the video, one of the most iconic clips was of Venus Williams.

It was from a 2021 match against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova at the Emilia-Romagna Open. The seven-time Grand Slam champion got a time violation while waiting for gusty winds to die down before serving. Understandably frustrated by the umpire’s call, she walked up and said, “If the wind blows, then I can’t hit the ball. I can’t control God, I can’t control the wind… I can’t control God, talk to him,” she added, pointing to the sky.

Coming back to Collins and her ‘brat’ energy, she’s known to speak her heart on the court. In 2023, she was involved in a spat with Maria Sakkari at the Canadian Open. When Sakkari hit a ball in annoyance after the line umpire called her serve a fault, it went directly toward the camera crew and the front spectators. While Sakkari fortunately didn’t hit anyone, her act angered Collins, who went directly to the umpire and said, “Did you just see that? Did you see what happened?” Sakkari tried to tell the umpire that the ball didn’t hit anyone, but Collins angrily responded, “Shut your mouth. Shut your mouth.”

Known for her fierce attitude and playstyle, Collins has shown why she is referred to as ‘Danimal.’ However, the American WTA star revealed how she did not always have such a personality and has embraced it over the years.

Danielle Collins reveals how her fierce persona came about

After partnering with her coach, Jared Jackson, Collins learned to accept her original self. This authentic understanding of self helped the WTA star build a powerful personality and confidence. Collins said of this transformation, “A couple of months ago, I wouldn’t have done that. I would have been too concerned about what others were saying or thinking about me or how they were judging me.”

However, she confidently stuck to her faith and embraced this change wholeheartedly. “There’s so much outside noise and criticism that we get as players, and it’s tough, especially for women. Society often expects women to be meek and mild, but that’s not who I am,” she said. Danielle Collins is an inspiring personality to all the young athletes out there struggling with their self-perception and mental health. The 30-year-old has not only taught people to be unapologetic, but she has also encouraged them to be compassionate.