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Collins: “This has been so great for me” | 11:00
Divisive American tennis star Danielle Collins says it’s up to the Aussie locals if they want to forgive and forget after the events that have transpired this Open.
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Collins alienated the Show Court Arena crowd during her second-round victory over rising Australian Destanee Aiava, first telling them to ‘shut up’ before repeatedly cupping her ear after winning and even gesturing to her backside.
She also made a series of comments post-match including stating the money coming from her appearance at the Open would be going towards her future luxury vacations.
“You know, I was thinking during the match; I was like ‘Hmm, if I’m out here, I may as well just take that big, fat pay-cheque’,” Collins said in her on-court interview.
At her press conference later, she added: “One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is the people that don’t like you and the people that hate you, they actually pay your bills. It’s kind of a cool concept.”
Plenty were quick to voice their disapproval of the behaviour of the 31-year-old 10-seed, who went on to fall to compatriot Madison Keys in straight sets on Saturday night after being booed upon entrance to Rod Laver Arena.
Collins, speaking at her post-match press conference following her third-round elimination, was asked if she was prepared to ‘make up’ with the Australian crowd.
“I mean, yeah, I guess. That’s up to them,” she said.
“At the end of the day, whatever happens, happens. The biggest thing is that nobody got hurt.
“Maybe some feelings got hurt, or things were taken personally, and they shouldn’t have been taken personally by the crowd, but I just feel like people take life way too seriously sometimes.”
Collins said more light-hearted banter needed to enter the sport, citing the high average age of tennis spectators.
“In our sport, it’s like, somebody was telling me that the average age of people watching (tennis) is like, 65. And I think we need to kind of bring some entertainment to the game, and I think we can try to make jokes and laugh,” she said.
“I don’t have a big ego when it comes to this, honestly. I don’t care what’s written about me. I don’t care what some guy living in his basement is writing on the internet, you know what I mean?
“I’m just trying to have fun. I’m just trying to enjoy my life and have fun with it. And all my friends on tour thought I was just being me and thought I was just trying to make humour of the situation, and then I had a lot of my friends be like ‘am I getting invited on the yacht?’
“That’s all that matters. At the end of the day, you can’t please everybody, and the most important thing is your friends and family and what they think, and nobody got hurt — that’s the main thing — this is sports, and I don’t think the banter is necessarily a terrible thing.”
