American tennis star Danielle Collins takes on hostile crowd at Australian Open

Danielle Collins had some choice words for the hostile crowd after her victory over Australian Destanee Aiava in the second round of the Australian Open, blowing kisses to fans who had booed her and thanking them as she passed. finance your next five-star vacation.

The American player, seeded number 10, said her interaction with the home crowd at the Kia Arena gave her a boost to overcome a difficult period in the middle of the match, eventually winning the match 7-6(4) 4-6 6-2.

“I think they really wanted her to win,” Collins told reporters. “There were a lot of people who had drunk too much and were having trouble controlling themselves, really excited.”

“All I have to say is good luck trying to unsettle someone who doesn’t care about all these things,” she added, replacing more diplomatic language with a few expletives.

The 31-year-old, who lost the final of the Australian Open in 2022 against Ash Barty, admitted to having taken pleasure in the sometimes electric atmosphere created by the partisan public.

“I loved it. I’ve been doing this my whole life. I love playing in front of an audience that has energy, no matter what side they’re on,” she said.

“It motivates me even more. So, it’s a good thing, especially when I’m not playing very well.”

“I’m going to be there for two and a half hours putting up with all these people, I might as well enjoy it and cash a nice check, right? I was really happy to do it.”

‘An interesting concept’

Collins will receive NZD 321,000 for qualifying for the third round of this Grand Slam and said she knows exactly how she plans to spend the money.

“One of the best things about being a professional athlete is that the people who don’t like you, the people who hate you, pay your bills. It’s quite a cool concept,” she added.

“My friends and I love five-star vacations. I can guarantee you that this check will go towards our next luxurious trip, probably to the Bahamas,” she said.

“We like big boats, we like yachts. We will keep you informed and we can share our adventures.”

The win sets her up to face No. 19 seed Madison Keys, with whom Collins has had a friendship dating back to their childhood days when they exchanged letters.

“We’ve known each other for a long time, we’re good friends,” she said. “It’s very cool to grow together, to go from being 10-year-olds to playing on one of the biggest stages in the world.”

– Reuters