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Novak Djokovic has backed Danielle Collins over her verbal tussle with jeering fans at the Australian Open.
The Serbian got into his own verbal spat with heckler on Friday as he won his third round match against Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic.
“I loved her response. I loved it. Everything she said on the court, off the court. Big fan of Danielle Collins after that. I was before. But now? Big fan. I love it,” a grinning Djokovic said at a news conference. “I heard some comments of people that she shouldn’t have said (this) or that. I think she handled it really well. I don’t think I would be that polite, and I know exactly the feeling. So I think she was funny, smart.”
WATCH: Novak Djokovic backs Danielle Collins
Novak Djokovic says he’s a big fan of Danielle Collins after her interaction with Australian Open crowd
“I loved her response.. everything she said on & off the court. Big fan of Danielle Collins after that. I was before, but now, big fan. I love it😂”
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 17, 2025
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Djokovic repeatedly said that he was a “big fan of what Danielle Collins did.”
Collins, who is the 10th seed in the women’s singles draw at the ongoing Australian Open, stood up for herself when confronted with a booing crowd on Thursday that was angry that she was beating a local player, Destanee Aiava.
Danielle Collins of the U.S. reacts after defeating Destanee Aiava of Australia in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
After her 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2 win, Collins cupped her left ear with her hand while repeating the phrase, “How about that?!”
Then, when the booing intensified, she blew kisses at the spectators.
“The people that don’t like you, and the people that hate you, they actually pay your bills. Obviously my professional career is not going to last forever,” Collins said at the post-match press conference. She then cheekily added: “Anyone who bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me, it’s all going toward the Danielle Collins Fund.”
She said she planned to spend some money on a “five-star vacation,” and mentioned that she and her friends “like boats; we like big boats; we like yachts.”
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