Jan 16, 2025 - Sports

St. Pete native Danielle Collins has iconic reaction to booing crowd

Kathryn Varn

A woman in a hot-pink top holding a tennis racket and white visor blows a kiss toward an unseen audience. — St. Pete native Danielle Collins blows a kiss to the crowd as she celebrates winning match point at the 2025 Australian Open. Photo: Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images

St. Petersburg native Danielle Collins is all over the internet with her cheeky response to a raucous crowd at the Australian Open.

State of play: After defeating Australian pro Destanee Aiava in yesterday's women's singles second-round match, Collins blew kisses to a booing crowd and said she was thinking of her "big fat paycheck," per The Athletic.

The Northeast High alum, who also repped the Sunshine City in the 2024 Paris Olympics, was set to retire this year but reversed course — and thank goodness, because we wouldn't have gotten this iconic moment.

What she's saying: "Every person that's bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me, it's all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund," she said in her post-game press conference. "Bring it on. I love it."

We simply have to stan.

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St. Pete native Danielle Collins has iconic reaction to booing crowd

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