American tennis pro Danielle Collins thanks Australian Open fans for ‘paying my bills’ after getting heckled

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American tennis pro Danielle Collins isn’t making any new friends in Australia this week, and she’s fine with that. 

Collins, a finalist in the 2022 Australian Open, advanced to the third round of this year’s Grand Slam after defeating Australia’s own Destanee Aiava on Thursday, but her victory was met with a harsh reaction by the home crowd. 

Danielle Collins reacts after defeating Destanee Aiava at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

After dealing with the crowd’s boos for most of the match, Collins blew kisses to fans and egged them on as soon as she won match point. 

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"It was a tough crowd and I just figured if I’m going to be out here, I better take home that bigger paycheck," Collins said after the match in an on-court interview.  "So yeah, thanks for the paycheck Australia." 

"It’s a pretty amazing feeling as an athlete because the people that dislike you or hate you pay your bills," she continued. "So that’s a really rewarding feeling to be out here, and it just feels like a really great day." 

Danielle Collins blows kisses after defeating Destanee Aiava at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Collins defeated Aiava 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2 across a nearly 2 1/2 hour match. 

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During her post game presser with the media, Collins doubled down on her reaction to the crowd, adding that the "energy" of fans motivates her – regardless of who they cheer for. 

"One of the greatest things about being a