"He will be having steak and lobster tonight..." – Danielle Collins uses dog Quincy to make last Australian Open dig

"I was thinking during the match. I was like, 'If I'm out of here, I might as well just take that big fat paycheck.' Coco and I love, we love a good 5-star vacation. So part of that check is gonna go towards that," Danielle Collins said.

"So thank you guys for coming out here and supporting us tonight," she added.

This was Danielle Collins' resilient response to a lively Australian crowd following her second-round contest. Collins has had an eventful Australian Open, engaging in an amusing relationship with the Aussie crowd.

After defeating one of their own in Destanee Aiava, Collins has had to endure some banter from the audience. Yet, the American player hasn't shied away from actively engaging with the crowd. Even after a disappointing defeat to Madison Keys in the third round of the competition, Collins is still playfully interacting with Melbourne tennis fans.

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Danielle Collins' Melbourne run

Collins had a decent run down under, which saw the American enter the third round before exiting the competition. A key highlight was her second-round clash with Australia's Aiava. This is when her relationship with the crowd started to unfold.

In an encounter that lasted two hours and 25 minutes, filled with intense rallies and impressive shots, the Australian crowd backed Aiava to get the job done. However, Collins was the one who got over the line, securing a 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2 victory to upset the Australian fans.

After the win, the American began blowing kisses and shouting, "How 'bout that!" This was met by boos from the crowd, but after the match, she said the crowd's energy actually motivated her.

"I loved it." she told the press. "I've been doing this my whole life. I love playing in a crowd that has energy, regardless of what side they're on. Their energy motivates me even more. It helped me in the end. It just helped me concentrate more and challenged me at times. It just pushed me through the finish line."

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Collins' appreciation for the crowd's energy is evident, making the audience feel their support is truly valued.

"One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is the people who don't like you and hate you; they pay your bills. It's a cool concept. My professional career is not going to last forever. So I remind myself they're paying my bills when I have that stuff. Every person who's bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do is going towards the Danielle Collins Fund."

"Yeah, bring it on. I love it ... All I have to say is seriously, good luck trying to get under the skin of somebody that doesn't care."

Collins is not finished with the Australian crowd

Danielle Collins

After her victory against Aiava, the world number 11 lost in straight sets to fellow American, Keys. Yet, Collins was not done engaging with the Australian crowd, taking to Instagram after her defeat.

"This sophisticated gentleman wanted to thank everyone who contributed to the Quincy fund during the Australian Open. He will be having steak and lobster tonight and will also be attending the trip to the Bahamas 💕😘"

Collins is a great talent, and it will be interesting to see how she performs when she takes to the court next.

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