Danielle Collins’ controversial actions from the past are coming back into the forefront after the influx of criticism she is receiving from her antics at the Australian Open on Thursday.
Collins’ post-match argument with world No 2 player Iga Swiatek from the Paris Olympics resurfaced, showing the 31-year-old has been outspoken outside of Melbourne.
After a quarterfinal match last August, where Collins retired in the third set because of an abdominal injury, she ripped Swiatek for being ‘insincere’ about her injury when they spoke on the court after the match, she said.
‘There’s a lot that happens on camera. And there are a lot of people with a ton of charisma … (who) are one way on camera and another way in the locker room,’ Collins told reporters after, via AP. ‘I don’t need the fakeness.’
Collins said the injury stemmed from cramping and dehydration and that she ‘nearly collapsed’ after exiting the court following the previous match.
Swiatek was confused to the Polish press as to why Collins had a problem with her.
Footage of Danielle Collins’ on-court argument with Swiatek from the Olympics has resurfaced
The American star boasted of claiming a ‘big fat paycheck’ by reaching the third round
In present day, Collins cupped her hand to her ear, blew kisses to the crowd, and slapped her backside after a three-set victory over Destanee Aiava.
‘During the match I was like, “While I’m out here I might as well take that big fat pay check,”‘ Collins said while being booed in her on-court interview. ‘We love a five-star vacation, so a big part of that will go towards that.’
‘So thank you guys, thanks for coming out here and supporting us tonight. Thank you guys, love you.’
Collins initially said the 2024 tennis season would be her last, before enjoying unprecedented overall success.
Beyond making Team USA, she won 15 matches in a row at one point and claimed her first WTA 1000 title at her hometown Miami Open. Collins also had her personal best, a fourth-round showing at Wimbledon.
The No-10 ranked Collins returns to the Australian hard court stateside in the early hours of Saturday morning against fellow American Madison Keys.
It might be a home-court advantage for Keys, despite being on the other side of the world considering her competition.
