Danielle Collins Defiant After Australian Open Exit: 'I Don't Care What People Think'

Danielle Collins exits Australian Open, saying she's 'proud' to ignore critics and capitalize on controversy, citing increased sponsorship opportunities.

Danielle Collins was met with a chorus of boos as she entered and exited the arena, following her 6-4, 6-4 loss to fellow American Madison Keys at the Australian Open on Saturday. The 31-year-old's actions in her previous match had seemingly earned her the ire of the Melbourne Park crowd.

Collins' sarcastic remarks and gestures towards the crowd during her second-round victory over Destanee Aiava had sparked controversy. After being heckled, she had thanked the crowd for “paying my bills” and blown kisses, cupped her ear, and even pointed to her backside. Collins had further fueled the tension, saying, “Every person that's bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do, it's all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund.”

As Collins took to the court for her third-round match against 19th-seeded Madison Keys, she received a mixed reception. While some fans cheered, others booed, and the tension was palpable. Collins smiled wryly as she acknowledged the crowd, and the atmosphere remained charged throughout the match. Even when Collins made her first double fault, the crowd erupted in cheers.

The chair umpire intervened at the end of the first set, reminding the crowd to respect both players. Despite this, the atmosphere remained tense, and Collins ultimately fell to a 6-4, 6-4 defeat at the hands of Keys.

Danielle Collins required a medical timeout during the second set of her match against Madison Keys, with heavy strapping applied to her left knee. Despite the interruption, Collins continued to play, but ultimately lost the match 6-4, 6-4. As she exited the stadium, she was met with a mixture of cheers and boos from the half-empty crowd.

In the post-match press conference, Collins addressed the controversy surrounding her previous comments and the crowd's reaction. She expressed pride in her ability to ignore the opinions of those she deemed unimportant, saying, “Something I'm really proud of myself is I just have gotten to the point where I really don't care anymore about what people who aren't important to me think.” Collins also reiterated her stance that all publicity is good publicity, stating, “Obviously I'm towards the end of my career. It's wonderful that I can capitalise on these opportunities.”

Danielle Collins receives a serenade of boos as she enters Rod Laver Arena. 😠🔊#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/eGcuxwS9Yg

— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 18, 2025

Collins cited the increased attention as a benefit, revealing that she had received multiple sponsorship opportunities during the tournament. “I think that six different sponsorship opportunities come up in this tournament alone,” she said. “That's a great signal for me. Obviously, like I said, every fan contributes to that. It's a real blessing.” Collins' comments were a clear nod to her previous assertion that the crowd's heckling was effectively contributing to her financial gain.

When asked about her previous statement regarding using her prize money to fund a “five-star trip” to the Bahamas, Collins playfully responded, “I got to fit that in there for a few days. Yeah, we'll see what happens. I'll keep you guys updated for sure. I will definitely send pictures to everyone.” Collins' lighthearted demeanor and willingness to poke fun at herself seemed to indicate that she was unphased by the controversy surrounding her.