Danielle Collins Embraces Boos, Thanks Hecklers for ‘Paying My Bills’ at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia — American tennis star Danielle Collins turned jeers into cheers during her second-round victory over Australia’s Destanee Aiava at the Australian Open on Wednesday, thanking heckling fans for “paying my bills.” The 10th-seeded Collins, 31, cupped her ear and blew kisses to the crowd after securing a hard-fought 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 win at Kia Arena.

Collins, known for her fiery demeanor, embraced the hostile atmosphere, saying it fueled her performance against the world No. 195. “One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is that the people that don’t like you and the people that hate you, they actually pay your bills,” Collins said in her post-match interview. “Every person that has bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do, it’s all going towards the Danielle Collins fund.”

The American, who will receive 290,000 Australian dollars (£147,500) for reaching the third round, joked that the prize money would fund a luxurious vacation. “Me and my group of girlfriends, we love a five-star vacation,” Collins said. “Hopefully to the Bahamas. We like boats, we like big boats, we like yachts, so we’ll post about it and let you guys know how it goes.”

Collins, who announced her retirement at the end of the 2024 season but later reversed her decision, continues to balance her career with managing endometriosis, a condition that can affect fertility. In May, she revealed that starting a family was “one of her biggest goals outside of tennis.”

Next, Collins will face fellow American Madison Keys in the third round. Reflecting on her ability to thrive under pressure, Collins said, “All I have to say is good luck getting under the skin of somebody that doesn’t give a… can I say it?” before being cut off by laughter during her press conference.