Danielle Collins earned the nickname “Danimal” not just for her fierce, intense, and aggressive playing style, but also for her passionate outbursts and strong personality on court. Remember her match at the 2024 Italian Open quarter-final against Victoria Azarenka? When Collins also told a cameraman, “Hey dude, you’re gonna have to back up a little bit,” followed by “back it up!” She was annoyed by the cameraman’s proximity during a break. This time, facing Emma Raducanu at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, it was no different.

On Wednesday, Collins staged her second thrilling three-set win of the week, rallying to beat 2024 finalist Raducanu 4-6, 6-1, 6-3. But the tennis wasn’t the only thing grabbing attention. During a changeover, a cameraman followed Collins too closely around the court. She didn’t hold back, posted via The Tennis Letter, “I need to get water. We’re on a changeover. You don’t need to be that close to me & you don’t need to be on top of Emma. It’s wildly inappropriate.”

After the interaction, Collins powered through, breaking Raducanu once more to seal the win in under two and a half hours. Her fierce play and candid moments keep fans hooked on and off the court. She’s never afraid to speak up when things get intrusive.

After the Strasbourg match, Collins said, “I think to be good at anything, self-expression is really important. There’s not too many successful people in the world that feel like they can’t be themselves. I think you have to be yourself, and I’m a competitor at the end of the day. I’m not meek and mild.” Still, fans online weren’t too pleased with her reaction.

Fans call Danielle Collins a “Karen” for her reaction to the cameraman

Seeing the reaction from the American star, one fan asked, “Is he not just doing his job?” And it’s true. Tennis camera crews are vital to broadcasts. They position 10 to 25 or more sophisticated cameras around the court—including intimate on-court angles—to capture every shot, player emotion, and detail for fans worldwide.

Their job is demanding. They anticipate rapid action, operate complex equipment like high-speed and robotic cameras, maintain focus in varied conditions, and work closely with production teams. They aim for the best angles while balancing players’ need for space and concentration. It’s a tough but essential role in the sport’s presentation. Another fan said, “She should be fined for every time she opens her mouth…. Period… So annoying.”

One fan, annoyed by Danielle, gave her another nickname that’s catching on and wrote, “Karen Collins at it again. She needs to settle down.” The American isn’t new to stirring the pot, and it’s not just with cameramen! At the Australian Open against local favorite Destanee Aiava, the crowd booed Collins. This wasn’t just cheering for Aiava; it included heckling and jeering aimed at Collins.

She fired back by blowing a kiss and patting her backside, even saying in a post-match interview, “every person that’s bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me, it’s all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund.”

Defending the cameraman against her dig, one fan pointed out, “Too bad that without that cameraman she wouldn’t earn the amounts she earns. Congratulations also to the organization for placing that structure in that point.”

Still, some fans empathize with her. One wrote, “Collins is a player to love and hate. Ever since her successful run last year, she just dictates how to act, what can and can’t be talked about, wears gear that is indicative of a spoiled brat. But it all comes w the package!” Even her compatriot Coco Gauff echoed the sentiment.

While not bashing Collins, Gauff said Danielle brings a “fun” energy to the sport. Having been her teammate at the 2025 United Cup, she said, “She brought like great energy on the bench and um she’s been fun and I will say I think she’s I don’t know maybe more relaxed now. I always say Danielle’s going to be Danielle and there’s no one changing her and she doesn’t care either.”

One fan called out the unnecessary comment, writing, “He wasn’t even on top of her though? I’ve seen cameras way closer to players…And I’ve always observed the cameramen in all matches walk backwards if the player is approaching an area that the camera is in. Very rude of Collins imo.” It’s true the cameraman got close for a good shot, but sometimes they go above and beyond.

Remember the cameraman at the ATP 2025 AO? He walked backward filming Nicolas Jarry entering Rod Laver Arena, who stumbled and fell onto the court just before his match against Jannik Sinner. The fall went viral, but the cameraman was unharmed.

Lastly, a fan tired of Collins’ openness wrote, “Can’t wait for her to retire.” Interestingly, Danielle did retire last year. She temporarily hung up the racket to start a family. But due to health complications and endometriosis, she returned to the court this season.

Now, she’s in the last eight. Her next opponent will be the winner of the second-round clash between top seed Jessica Pegula and Anna Kalinskaya. Will Collins silence the critics and go deep in this tournament? Share your thoughts in the comments below!