Danielle Collins drew scorn from the Australian Open crowd on Thursday when she blew kisses and boasted about her “big paycheck” after enduring boos from the crowd en route to beating Australian qualifier Destanee Aiava.
But those who have followed Collins' career will know that the 31-year-old is not afraid to be outspoken.
The world number 11, known to her devoted fans as 'Danimal', has faced the likes of Iga Swiatek and Maria Sakkari.
And after arguably the best season of Collins' career in 2024, which he initially said would be his last, St. Petersburg, Florida, arrived in Melbourne with high expectations.
So what else can you know about Collins?
Danielle Collins blew kisses to the crowd at the Australian Open after winning on Thursday
The American star boasted of claiming a 'big payday' upon reaching the third round.
U-turn on retirement
While Australian Open fans loudly booed Collins after she put her hand to her ear following her second-round victory, this didn't seem like a tournament she would be a part of a year ago.
In January 2024, Collins announced that the upcoming season would be her last on the WTA tour, citing her desire to have children.
Collins is in a relationship with biotechnology executive Bryan Kipp.
After that announcement, Collins produced perhaps her best season as a professional, winning 15 matches in a row at one point and winning her first WTA 1000 title at the Miami Open in her hometown.
He also won the title in Charleston and reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, the best result of his career, and qualified for the United States Olympic team in Paris.
Collins claimed the first 1000-level title of his career when he won the Miami Open in March.
He also had the best result of his career at Wimbledon by reaching the fourth round.
Naturally, that form raised questions about whether Collins was truly about to leave the sport, and he said in October that he would return for the 2025 season.
in a instagram postCollins said starting a family would take “longer than I thought” as she was battling fertility issues and endometriosis, which affects the uterus.
“Dealing with endometriosis and fertility is a huge challenge for many women and something I am actively navigating, but I have complete confidence in the team I am working with,” she wrote. “It's just going to take longer than I thought.”
'So, the story of DANIMAL has not reached its conclusion. I will be back on tour in 2025.”
Iga Swiatek and Maria Sakkari – Feuds (official music video)
Collins has been involved in a fairly one-sided feud with former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek since the Paris Olympics, where the pair met in the quarterfinals.
Collins left the match in the third set due to an abdominal injury and criticized Swiatek for not being “honest” about his injury when they spoke on court after the match, he said.
“A lot of things happen in front of the camera. And there are a lot of people with a lot of charisma… (who) are one way on camera and another in the locker room,” Collins told reporters later, via AP.
“I don't need falsehood.”
Collins said the injury was due to cramps and dehydration and that he “almost collapsed” after walking off the court following the previous game.
Meanwhile, Swiatek would express her bewilderment to the Polish press as to why Collins had a problem with her.
Collins shared some tense words with Swiatek after their match at the Paris Olympics
She later seemed unimpressed when she shook Swiatek's hand at the United Cup.
“I have never done anything unpleasant in his direction,” he said. 'I don't know what he meant. I wanted to congratulate her on a successful career, because it's her last year on tour. “We've never had any interaction that could have caused that.”
Collins' dislike of Swiatek continued at the United Cup earlier this month, as she seemed unimpressed when the pair shook hands in the queue before the final between the United States and Poland.
The American even changed her Instagram profile photo for a screenshot of the moment.
Collins also clashed with former world No. 3 Sakkari at the 2023 Canadian Open, when the latter hit a ball off the ground into the stands in frustration.
The American then asked the referee if he had seen what happened, while Sakkari responded that he had not hit anyone.
“Shut your mouth,” Collins responded.
Chance meeting with my boyfriend at Wimbledon
While some know Collins as one of the best tennis players in the world, her now-boyfriend had no idea who she was when they met.
Collins was in London after playing at Wimbledon when she and Kipp met in a cafe.
Collins is seen with her boyfriend, Bryan Kipp, at Wimbledon last year. The couple met in London.
Kipp is also a former athlete, but Collins called herself the 'jock' in their relationship.
“He didn't know anything about tennis and didn't know I was a tennis player, which was really nice,” she later told the tennis channel.
“He was actually a big golf fan and said, 'Well, I really like golf.' I don't really know much about tennis. And I was like, 'Yeah! That's very exciting.'
Kipp also has a background in sports, having played soccer at Columbia University, but Collins claimed she was the 'jock' in their relationship.
“It has gotten me into the golf course and I am very competitive,” she added. 'I hate losing to this guy. “I love him to death, but I hate losing to him,” Danielle Collins added.
Kipp is often in Collins' support section, including during her victory at the Charleston Open, and was also seen cheering her on at Wimbledon last summer.