Danielle Collins says she was just having fun while playing the villain at the Australian Open, but that the boos helped her focus despite defeat to Madison Keys. (More Sports News)
Collins knocked out Destanee Aiava, a home favourite, in the second round on Thu🦂rsday, teasing the crowd by blowing kisses at spectators and cupping her ears when her victory was jeered. She also said fans who heckled her were contributing to "the Danielle Collins fun🐽d" which she would use to go to the Bahamas.
And she received a similar reception when she stepped out onto the court for her third-round match against childhood friend Keys, with boos ringing out in the✨ Rod Laver Arena.
Collins did nꦑot play up to the crowd in the same way on Sat♎urday and suffered a 6-4 6-4 defeat to Keys in 81 minutes.
She lost her serve at the start of the first set and failed to recover, but looked to be back on track as she took a 3-0 lead in the second. However, Keys drew level with two successive breaks and nosed back iꦬn front to advance to the next round.
Collins, who had originally decided to retire in 2024 before reversing that decision🧸, said she enjoyed the reception.
"I expected that [the boos]," she said. "I really do enjoy playing💖 in these types of environments, thꩵat's what you work so hard for your entire life.
"I embraced it,ꦜ and it was good. It got me fire👍d up at times and got both of us focused.
"I don't have a𝕴 big ego when it comes to this. I don't care what's written about me and I don't care what some guy living in his basement is writing on the Internet.
"I'm just trying to have fun, to enjoy my life and hav🥂e fun with it. All my 🐷friends on tour thought I was - they knew I was just being me and trying to make humour of the situation."
Keys, meanwhile, registered her 30th𒁏 win at the Australian Open with 𒅌victory over Collins, the second tournament in which she has reached that milestone (33 at the US Open). In the last 10 years, nobody has reached the fourth round of the competition more often than her (six, level with Simona Halep).
She has already registereܫd 10 wins in 2025, having triumphed at the Adelaide International prior to this tournament.
"It's always difficult [against Collins]. We've played each🌜 other since we were 12. She's a fighter, and she leaves everything out there so it's hard," Keys said in her on-court interview.
"I've been playing s𒉰ome good tennis; I've always really loved playing in Australia, and I've had some really great success here. Being able to win another title in Australia and to be in the fourth round is amazing."
