Danielle Collins got into a back-and-forth with a booing crowd at the Australian Open after eliminating a local player on Thursday night, blowing kisses to the spectators and repeating the phrase, "How about that?!"
The 10th-seeded Collins, an American who was the runner-up to Australia's Ash Barty in the 2022 final, defeated Destanee Aiava 7-6 4, 4-6, 6-2 across nearly 2 1/2 hours.
That's when the fun began. First, the 31-year-old Collins - who originally planned to retire after last season but decided to return to the tour in 2025 - held her hand to her left ear and, looking into the stands at Kia Arena, said that three-word phrase a couple of times. Then, as the jeers grew louder, she began blowing kisses toward the fans.
"The people that don't like you, and the people that hate you, they actually pay your bills. Obviously my professional career is not going to last forever," Collins said at her news conference, noting that anyone who "bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me, it's all going toward the Danielle Collins Fund."
She said she planned to spend some money on a "five-star vacation," and mentioned that she and her friends "like boats we like big boats we like yachts."
