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Madrid Open: Unapologetic Danielle Collins Takes Pride in Schooling a Nasty Fan With Her Sassy Post-match Reaction

Published 04/29/2024, 8:00 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Danimal Collins will not rest easy against fan heckling! Renowned for her fiery demeanor on the court, Danielle Collins struggled to restore composure yesterday after dropping the opening set against Jaqueline Cristian. One particularly vociferous onlooker chose to stoke the flames with his remarks. While she gave a clear response to the fan at that moment, the World Number 15 recently took pride in her on-the-court reaction.

When the American was getting ready to solve the second set, one noisy individual within the crowd sent her over the edge. Collins felt she had had enough in a fit of rage. She shouted out the loud onlookers, reminding them of the difficulties and demands that players on the court face, “You come out here and play. You do what I do. Okay, have a little more respect.”

 

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Although Collins won the match, she recently took to Instagram to share her thoughts in her own words. She shared a video of herself, giving a lesson to the fan, but just added a mic emoji, describing her strong take on handling the crowd’s pressure and taking pride in her answer.

On the other hand, the audience erupted in cheers at the American’s audacious response during the heated argument between Collins and the disruptive fan. Subsequently, even the commentator recognized the moment with appreciation, characterizing Collins’s “sharp tongue-lash” as the audience responded positively to her aggressiveness.

The moniker “Danimal Collins” suits her well then, which Andy Murray once used for her during a 2022 appearance on the Tennis.com podcast. Murray’s lighthearted nickname grabbed attention right away, and Collins expressed how much she liked it. She added, “When I call for my dinner reservations, they say what name, and I say Danimal. They kind of laugh and are like, no, the name I say is Danimal. They are like what!! I like being called Danimal.”

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Despite the challenges she faces and the speculation surrounding her retirement, the world No. 15 has maintained a composed presence on the court, prioritizing her game amidst external distractions. But a few weeks ago, Serena Williams’ former coach illuminated the American tennis player’s journey and attempted to debunk myths and preconceptions, especially in relation to her on-court behavior.

Williams’ ex-coach believes Collins has lost her ‘fire’ 

Rennae Stubbs, the former coach of Williams, provided insights into Danielle Collins’ path and noted a change in her demeanor as a result of health issues. In a podcast interview, Stubbs disclosed that Collins appeared to lose her “fire” when dealing with health concerns, which led to a change from her prior aggressive and passionate image.

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Stubbs said, “Or seen like this hothead, certain loud and brash American all that stuff that can come with Danielle Collins of five years ago, and I think she has sort of gotten calm on the court, I think it hurt her in some way.” But now that we witness Danimal’s old personality once again, it won’t be wrong to say that the fire is still alive, somewhere down the line.

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Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Collins’ on-court outburst? Do let us know in the comment section below.

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Written by:

Pratishtha Prakash

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Pratishtha Prakash, tennis writer and resident analyst at EssentiallySports isn't just a sports journalist; she's a storyteller who found her true calling in tennis content. It is something she seamlessly integrates into both her professional and personal realms. Having professional certifications in content and digital marketing, Pratishtha has made it a habit to hone her skills as a quality journalist.
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Edited by:

Arunima Bhanot