Danielle Collins grabbed the microphone from the reporter who was interviewing her on center court and spoke directly to the crowd. They saw her as the bad guy again on Thursday at Australian Open 2025and she had decided to incite their boos – to use them as fuel on the tennis court again.
Collins, the 31-year-old American, had already put his hands to his ears and blew mocking kisses even before shaking hands at the net with Australian Destanee Aiava after their second round match in Melbourne. After advancingCollins served up a parting shot originally intended as a backhanded thank you to trolling his audience.
“I was thinking during the match, I was like, ‘If I’m here, I might as well take this big, fat payday,'” she said, and the jeers got louder. “We love a good five-star vacation, so part of this check is going towards that. So thank you guys for that. Thanks for coming out and supporting us.”
“People who don’t like you and people who hate you,” Collins later explained during his post-match press conference“they actually pay your bills”.
For Collins, however, they represent much more than that. There’s more to that final heel turn.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: Danielle Collins trolls Australian Open crowd
A year ago, at the Australian Open, Collins announced she would retire from professional tennis at the end of the 2024 season to focus on starting a family. In October, a few months before she so openly embraced her inner villain, Collins announced on Instagram she would return to the WTA following the discovery of fertility complications linked to endometriosisa disease from which she suffers and which affects the uterus.
Collins spoke more about the decision to postpone his retirement last week before the start of the Australian Openemphasizing that physical and mental challenges have taken their toll in recent months.
“I had days where I cried every day, I panicked, and it wasn’t a fun thing,” she said, and the support system on the women’s tennis tour helps her get through this difficult period of his life.
“I know I said I was retiring, but unfortunately life threw a few curveballs at me and here I am. I’m just trying to enjoy it a little longer,” Collins added. “My closest friends are a lot of women on tour, a lot of people on tour. You think about that lifestyle change when you’re going through something that’s so difficult emotionally, and then not having that support system, yeah , it’s a lot. I’m happy to be able to continue doing this a little longer and to have this.
Collins has not committed to how long she will continue to play professionally. She said her medical team is still determining the best course of action in her quest to have children. This uncertainty brought her back to court.
“I couldn’t imagine putting the rackets down right now,” Collins said, and nothing in his recent performances suggests otherwise.
Collins played some of the best tennis of his career last year when it looked like it would be his final season. She has won back-to-back tournaments, including the Miami Open, and is currently ranked 11th in the world rankings. Her career-best result in a Grand Slam event came when she reached the final of the 2022 Australian Open.
Coco Gauff And Novak Djovokić are among the tennis stars who recently praised Collins for her authenticity and willingness to speak her mind.
Her reaction on Thursday was no different, until she placed one of those mocking kisses on his rear end to really rile up fans.
The Australian Open crowd wanted a villain, and Collins wanted to be one again.
For reasons that go beyond just winning a tennis match.
“I loved it,” Collins said. “I’ve been doing this all my life. I like playing in an audience that has energy, whatever side they’re on. I’m someone too, it motivates me even more, so it’s a kind of It’s a good thing, especially when I’m not playing well. I think it really helped me in the end, helped me focus even more, challenged me at times and pushed me. to cross the finish line.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Danielle Collins not the Australian Open villain, it seems
