‘Booing from Australian Open crowd rattled American star a little bit’

Danielle Collins claimed that the reaction from spectators at Rod Laver Arena “fired her up”, but four-time Grand Slam winner Jim Courier feels the booing affected her.
The drama started during Collins’ second-round win over local hope Destanee Aiava as she required three sets to beat the Australian qualifier.
Spectators on the Show Court Arena were incredibly raucous in their support of Aiava throughout the match, but Collins held her nerve to win 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-2, much to the frustration of the crowd.
But their behaviour didn’t go unnoticed by the American as she sarcastically applauded the Australian Open crowd and also blew kisses after her post-match handshake with her opponent.
During the on-court interview she also “thanked” the spectators for supporting her stating: “Every person that’s bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me, and do what they do, it’s all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund. Bring it on, I love it.”
The fans didn’t forget her comments as there were loud boos on Melbourne Park’s main showcourt when she took on Madison Keys in the fourth round.
There was a little smirk from Collins as she entered the arena and she never really got going against her compatriot, losing 6-4, 6-4.
Tennis commentator Courier feels the 30-year-old was affected by the jeering.
“I was in the TV compound – not out on the court – and I could hear the boos wafting out of the stadium,” he told Eurosport. “It was something to see.
“I think she probably got a little bit of joy from it in a way because she does like the combat aspect of it, but I do think she came out of the gates a little slowly and maybe it did rattle her a little bit.”
Collins, though, said it was always going to happen and insisted she was focused on the match.
“I expected that, obviously. That’s fine. Like I said, I really do enjoy playing in these types of environments. It’s what you work so hard for your entire life as a kid. I embraced it,” she said.
“I thought overall it was good. It got me fired up at times. It got us into the match and got both of us focused.”
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She added: “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 probably shouldn’t have been taken personally by the crowd.
“I feel like people take life way too seriously sometimes. I think in our sport, it’s like somebody was telling me that the average age of people watching and the fans of tennis is, like, 65.
“We need to kind of bring some entertainment to the game. I think we can try to make jokes and laugh.”