Novak Djokovic wasn’t too happy with a section of the crowd on Rod Laver Arena on Friday and took that opportunity to applaud American Danielle Collins, who waded into the Australian crowd, after her second-round match.
“I understand you have a few drinks more, and then you get into it,” Djokovic said of spectators during his third-round match on Friday night. “If it's repetitive, it happens for an hour, somebody telling you things that you don't want to hear, constant provoking, it comes to the point where you just respond.”
Earlier, Collins had a go at the partisan crowd during her second-round match against Aussie Destanee Aiava.
During her post-match press conference, Collins said, “Every person that's bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do, it's all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund.”
She added: “Me and my group of girlfriends love a five-star vacation. I can guarantee you that check is going to go towards our next five-star trip, hopefully to The Bahamas. We like big boats, we like yachts. We'll post about it, let you guys know how it goes.”
“I loved her response, everything she said on the court, off the court,” Djokovic said, laughing. “Big fan of Danielle Collins after that. I was before, but now, big fan.”
The 24-time major winner added: “I heard some comments of people that she shouldn't have said that. I think she handled it really well, I don't think I would be that polite, and I know the feeling. She was funny and smart, just big fan of what she did.”
