Former Australian tennis star Casey Dellacqua declares tennis needs “villains” like Danielle Collins

Danielle Collins’ on-court antics at the Australian Open has divided tennis fans, but one former Australian player has come to the defence of the controversial American, declaring the sport needs “villains”.

Former Australian tennis star Casey Dellacqua has declared tennis needs “villains” in the game after American Danielle Collins’ taunts with the crowd at Melbourne Park.

In on-court antics which have divided tennis fans, Collins happily settled into the role of the Australian Open anti-hero after provoking the crowd during her second-round win over local hope Destanee Aiava.

The No. 10 seed told a parochial crowd to “shut up” during the match before letting the fans know all about her three-set win on Kia Arena on Thursday night.

Collins was booed as she cupped a hand to her ear, blew kisses to the crowd and slapped her backside after her win over the Aussie qualifier.

Danielle Collins blows a kiss to the crowd. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Lots of gestures were made during the match. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

The former Australian Open finalist then provoked the crowd even more in her post-match interview when she told fans “thanks for the pay cheque”, which she said would be funding her next holiday.

Collins’ antics were a major talking point at Melbourne Park on Friday, but Dellacqua said she did not have any issue with the American’s inflammatory acts and said tennis needed villains in the game alongside the “nice guys”.

“I don’t know what you all think, but it doesn’t matter what movie you watch, show you watch, every story needs a bit of theatre, right?,” Dellacqua said on Channel 9.

“I love that tennis has a bit of that.

“I love that we have got villains in our game, we have got the nice guys, we have got love stories, we have got everything.

“I like it.”

John Millman said players like Collins added to the theatre of the game.

“(Collins) is not the only one, (Jelena) Ostapenko and Novak Djokovic rile up the crowd and it’s part of the theatre,” Millman said.

“ (Daniil) Medvedev is a villain … John McEnroe is the biggest villain of all.

“The older generation …. say we have to do it politely, but that is entertainment.”

Collins will face fellow American Madison Keys in her next match at the Australian Open in what has now become an unmissable clash to see how the crowd responds.

While Collins antagonised the crowd, Aiava said she had fed off the energy of the fans, but did not feel it had been completely one-sided support.

Aiava likened the nose to a “rugby league match” and said it was what tennis needed.

“It was really loud again tonight. I feel like it was kind of equal,” Aiava said.

“I heard a lot of her supporters. For me, as well. I just tried to use it again to my advantage.

“They were amazing. Even if I did hear them go for her, it was still a really great atmosphere.

“It was really fun. (It) kind of sounded like a rugby league match (smiling). But it was very different. I think we could use a little bit more of that in tennis.”

Collins called a medical time-out for treatment on her right big toe when she was 2-5 down in the second set, which disrupted Aiava’s momentum.

While the Aussie admitted she could have handled the break “a bit better”, she said it was a part of the game.

“I have had it happen to me a couple times. It’s a part of the game,” Aiava said.

“I don’t really have much else to say other than maybe I could have handled it a bit better and come out firing quicker.

“It did give her a little bit of time to settle down in that set. I’m just glad I could close it out how I did. Hopefully I didn’t let the break get too much in my head.”

Originally published as Former Australian tennis star Casey Dellacqua declares tennis needs “villains” like Danielle Collins