She said she’d do it—and now she has! American tennis star Danielle Collins has made good on her promise to spend her A$290,000 Australian Open prize money on a five-star luxury holiday, posting sun-soaked snaps from a high-end Bahamas resort just weeks after her infamous Melbourne meltdown. But not everyone is applauding—some fans have slammed her flashy display as “petty” and “immature.”
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Thanking booing crowd for her ‘big fat paycheck’
The 31-year-old became the villain of the Australian Open last month after she was relentlessly booed by the local crowd during her heated second-round clash against Aussie favorite Destanee Aiava. But rather than shy away from the jeers, Collins thrived in the chaos, firing back at the crowd with sarcastic kisses, a cheeky clap of her backside, and a brutal post-match remark: “I might as well take that big fat paycheck!”
She didn’t stop there—doubling down on her defiant attitude, she declared: “I can guarantee you that cheque is going to go towards our next five-star trip – hopefully to the Bahamas. We like boats, we like big boats, we like yachts, so we’ll post about it and let you guys know how it goes.” And take it she did!
Living up to the promise — straight to the Bahamas!
Over the weekend, Collins shared a video flaunting her five-star escape, where she was seen soaking up the sun, sipping drinks, and living the high life with her closest friends. The cherry on top? The video ended with Collins slapping her backside—a not-so-subtle reminder of how she shut down the Melbourne crowd.
Ouch! If anyone was hoping for a humbled, apologetic Collins after Melbourne, they were sorely mistaken. Instead, the 2022 Australian Open Slam finalist has doubled down on her no-nonsense, unapologetic persona, proving once again that she doesn’t just talk the talk—she walks the walk, preferably in designer flip-flops on a private beach.
Collins made it loud and clear that her Australian Open earnings were going straight to the “Danielle Collins Fund”—and now, she’s letting the world see exactly what that means.
Hitting back at critics
Collins’ run in Melbourne ended in the third round with a loss to fellow American and eventual champion Madison Keys, but the jeering fans didn’t let up. Yet, in true Collins style, she seemingly remained unbothered, delivering a classic mic-drop moment in her post-match interview:
“You can’t please everybody. I’ve gotten to the point where I really don’t care anymore about what people who aren’t important to me think. I don’t care what some guy sitting in his basement is writing about me.”
Collins’ ‘revenge vacation’ sparks fan backlash
Collins and her entourage have been basking in the Bahamian sun, trying to prove that success is the best revenge. However, not everyone is impressed with her antics. Some fans have called her revenge “immature” and “petty”, accusing her of dragging out the same controversy for attention, as reported by Sportskeeda.
“Danielle: I don’t care what people say about me. Also Danielle: keeps blabbering about the same episode week after week because that’s the only way to have people talk about her. A 13-year-old is more mature,” one fan posted.
“Petty. She’s small. Always will be,” another added.
“I always liked her but I feel like she is being a bit bratty!!!” said one disappointed supporter.
“31 and acts like a child. Embarrassing,” another wrote.
One particularly scathing comment read: “You can stay there forever, Karen… Enjoy your endless vacation, everyone will be happy 😄.”
The star, who previously announced she would retire at the end of 2024, stunned fans earlier this year by making a dramatic U-turn and deciding to return to the WTA Tour in 2025. Despite her ongoing battle with endometriosis, Collins remains determined to balance both her tennis career and personal dreams, including starting a family.
But for now, it’s a luxury hotel, crystal-clear waters, and carefree living—all funded by the very crowd that tried to bring her down.
And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
