She stated 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 cash on a five-star luxurious vacation, posting sun-soaked snaps from a high-end Bahamas resort simply weeks after her notorious Melbourne meltdown. However not everyone seems to be applauding—some followers have slammed her flashy show as “petty” and “immature.”
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The 31-year-old turned the villain of the Australian Open final month after she was relentlessly booed by the native crowd throughout her heated second-round conflict in opposition to Aussie favourite Destanee Aiava. However quite than shrink back from the jeers, Collins thrived within the chaos, firing again on the crowd with sarcastic kisses, a cheeky clap of her bottom, and a brutal post-match comment: “I might as well take that big fat paycheck!”
She didn’t cease there—doubling down on her defiant perspective, 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!
Dwelling as much as the promise — straight to the Bahamas!
Over the weekend, Collins shared a video flaunting her five-star escape, the place she was seen absorbing the solar, sipping drinks, and dwelling the excessive life along with her closest pals. The cherry on prime? The video ended with Collins slapping her bottom—a not-so-subtle reminder of how she shut down the Melbourne crowd.
Ouch! If anybody hoped for a humbled, apologetic Collins after Melbourne, they had been sorely mistaken. As a substitute, the 2022 Australian Open Slam finalist has doubled down on her no-nonsense, unapologetic persona, proving as soon as once more that she doesn’t simply discuss the discuss—she walks the stroll, ideally in designer flip-flops on a non-public seashore.
Collins made it loud and clear that her Australian Open earnings had been going straight to the “Danielle Collins Fund”—and now, she’s letting the world see precisely what meaning.
Hitting again at critics
Collins’ run in Melbourne ended within the third spherical with a loss to fellow American and eventual champion Madison Keys, however the jeering followers didn’t let up. But, in true Collins fashion, she seemingly remained unbothered, delivering a traditional mic-drop second 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 within the Bahamian solar, attempting to show that success is the most effective revenge. Nevertheless, not everyone seems to be impressed along with her antics. Some followers have referred to as her revenge “immature” and “petty”, accusing her of dragging out the identical controversy for consideration, 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,” one other added.
“I always liked her but I feel like she is being a bit bratty!!!” stated one disillusioned supporter.
“31 and acts like a child. Embarrassing,” one other wrote.
One notably scathing remark learn: “You can stay there forever, Karen… Enjoy your endless vacation, everyone will be happy 😄.”
The star, who beforehand introduced she would retire on the finish of 2024, surprised followers earlier this 12 months by making a dramatic U-turn and deciding to return to the WTA Tour in 2025. Regardless of her ongoing battle with endometriosis, Collins stays decided to stability each her tennis profession and private desires, together with beginning a household.
However for now, it’s a luxurious lodge, crystal-clear waters, and carefree dwelling—all funded by the very crowd that attempted to convey her down.
And he or she wouldn’t have it every other method.