More boos for Danielle Collins during Open exit to Keys
Melbourne’s raucous Australian Open crowd has enjoyed the last laugh over Danielle Collins, as the fiery American suffered a straight-sets, third-round exit at the hands of compatriot Madison Keys.
Booed from the moment she stepped foot on Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night, 10th seed Collins was stoic in the face of the jeers from the crowd, but couldn’t stick with big-hitting Keys, who prevailed 6-4 6-4.
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 night.
After winning, she cupped her hand to her ear and yelled “How about that?” before blowing kisses to the jeering crowd and slapping her backside.
She further wound up her tormentors in her on-court interview – and later thanked them for the “big fat pay cheque” that would go towards her next holiday, indicating that she was quite unfazed by her pantomime villain status.
It was then no surprise that the locals weren’t on her side for her reappearance.
Boos rained down on Collins when she entered Rod Laver Arena, drawing a wry smile from the American.
But the vitriol didn’t stop there, with heckling and cheers for Collins’ faults and errors as Keys claimed the first set relatively comfortably.
Collins went up 3-0 in the second set, coming out with renewed enthusiasm.
But Keys responded, breaking back to draw level at 3-3.
Someone in the crowd yelled out to Collins it was “time for a holiday” when she was down 0-40 at 3-3 in the next game.
Applause then greeted her double fault on break point, which gave Keys the ascendancy in the second set.
Collins took a medical timeout to get her left knee treated and strapped.
But Keys saw out the match in professional fashion, with Collins saying “good job” as the former penpals embraced at the net.
Collins received a mix of boos and cheers as she departed.
“It’s always difficult. We’ve been playing each other since we were 12 years old and had some battles,” Keys, who will next play sixth seed Elena Rybakina, said.
“She’s such a fighter and always leaves everything out there. It was really difficult playing her.
“I’ve been playing some good tennis.
“I always really love playing in Australia. I’ve had some great success here and being able to win another title in Australia and be in the fourth round is amazing.”
#boos #Danielle #Collins #Open #exit #Keys