Fiery American Danielle Collins blames crowd at Australian Open for wild reception after third-round loss
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Danielle Collins certainly embraced her brief stint as the pantomime villain of Melbourne Park. But after her entertaining Australian Open performance concluded on Saturday night, the fiery American couldn't help but feel some of her tormentors might have taken the 'banter' too seriously.
![[Collins said afterwards that the crowd might have taken the 'banter' too seriously]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/18/22/94249593-14300579-image-a-30_1737238638173.jpg)
Melbourne's raucous crowd enjoyed the last laugh over Collins as she suffered a 6-4 6-4 third-round exit at the hands of compatriot Madison Keys. Booed from the moment she stepped foot on Rod Laver Arena, 10th seed Collins was stoic. 'Yeah, I expected that (booing), obviously. That's fine,' Collins said.
![[Collins had sarcastically cupped her ear after being jeered by the crowd on Thursday]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/18/22/94239767-14300579-Collins_had_sarcastically_cupped_her_ear_after_being_jeered_by_t-a-32_1737238678079.jpg)
'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. Danielle Collins crashed out of the Australian Open after losing to Madison Keys. Collins said afterwards that the crowd might have taken the 'banter' too seriously.
![[She even slapped her own backside before bragging about her significant pay cheque]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/18/22/94239763-14300579-She_even_slapped_her_own_backside_before_bragging_about_her_sign-a-33_1737238686508.jpg)
'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. 'But, yeah, I feel like people take life way too seriously, sometimes.'. Collins became public enemy No.1 in Melbourne when she gleefully wound up a raucous home crowd following her hard-fought win over local Destanee Aiava on Thursday.
After winning, she cupped her hand to her ear and yelled 'How about that?' before blowing kisses to the crowd and slapping her backside. She further wound them all up in her on-court interview - and later thanked them for the 'big fat pay cheque' that would go towards her next holiday.
