During her post game presser with the media, Collins doubled down on her reaction to the crowd, adding that the “energy” of fans motivates her – regardless of who they cheer for.
“It’s a pretty amazing feeling as an athlete because the people that dislike you or hate you pay your bills,” she continued. “So that’s a really rewarding feeling to be out here, and it just feels like a really great day.”
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American tennis pro Danielle Collins isn’t making any new friends in Australia this week, and she’s fine with that.
Collins, a finalist in the 2022 Australian Open, advanced to the third round of this year’s Grand Slam after defeating Australia’s own Destanee Aiava on Tuesday, but her victory was met with a harsh reaction by the home crowd.
Collins quipped that she likes to take “five-star vacations” with her friends, and that her earnings from the Australian Open will go toward their next trip.
“It was a tough crowd and I just figured if I’m going to be out here, I better take home that bigger paycheck,” Collins said after the match in an on-court interview. “So yeah, thanks for the paycheck Australia.”
After dealing with the crowd’s boos for most of the match, Collins blew kisses to fans and egged them on as soon as she won match point.