Danielle Collins thanked the hostile Australian Open crowd for helping to fund her next holiday after beating her last home hope in the ladies's draw.
Collins defeated Destanee Aiava 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2 to establish a third-round clash with fellow American Madison Keys.
As the group booed her as she took the microphone for her postgame interview, she told them that she was interested by that “big, fat paycheck” on the technique to victory.
“Coco and I love a good five-star vacation,” said number 10, referring to CoCo Vandeweghe. “So a portion of this check will be used for that. Thank you for coming here and supporting us tonight.”
At the tip of the primary set, Collins blew kisses to the group while sitting before repeating the trick at the tip of the sport.
“Thanks guys, I love you,” she said on the way in which off the court.
Some prime “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan on Danielle Collins after the match!#AO2025 pic.twitter.com/nyusDgt3PP
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2025
Later in her post-game press conference, she added: “One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is the people who don't like you and the people who hate you. They actually pay your bills.” It’s type of a cool concept.
“Every person who bought a ticket to come here and harass me will benefit the Danielle Collins Fund. Bring it on. I love it.”
The 31-year-old Collins, who Coco Gauff said in a recent press conference that “will always be Danielle,” is not the first player to give back to the partisan crowd – Jack Draper celebrated a five-set win over Thanasi Kokkinakis his ear to the Australians through a Cup victory.
Collins, a Melbourne finalist in 2022, is unwilling to give in to hostility from fans and players, real or imagined.
At the Paris Olympics, Collins had a tense exchange with then world No. 1 Iga Swiatek after he was eliminated from the Olympic quarterfinals due to injury. “I just told her not to be disingenuous about my injury. I don’t need the fake,” Collins said afterwards, prompting a confused response from Swiatek.
Collins blew kisses to the group in Melbourne (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Collins, who postponed her retirement from tennis after learning that her endometriosis would cause complications in her plan to start out a family, has spoken openly about how difficult the journey has been.
“Sometimes you feel like you're dragging your feet with the messages you're getting from your doctors because it can feel like Groundhog Day,” she said in November.
“Sometimes you feel like, 'Wow, I got treatment, I had surgery.' And yet this thing continues to be a problem.” And you think, “How is that?” But that’s the thing about endometriosis. It is not a tangible thing that can simply be fixed and then simply disappear. It doesn’t really go away.”
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“I’ve settled into my skin”: Danielle Collins is ready to keep playing
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