Danielle Collins opens up on Iga Swiatek rivalry after accusing rival of being 'fake'
Collins has reignited her feud with Swiatek by claiming the world No. 1 is “not a nice person”
Danielle Collins has reignited her feud with Iga Swiatek by claiming the world No. 1 is “not a nice person.” The American, who lost to Swiatek in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, made the comments in an interview with The New York Times.
“I don’t think she’s a nice person,” Collins said. “I think she’s very disingenuous. I don’t like her at all. I don’t think she’s a good role model for the sport.”
Swiatek has not yet responded to Collins’ comments, but she has previously said that she does not like to engage in feuds with other players.
The feud between Collins and Swiatek began at the Australian Open
The feud between Collins and Swiatek began at the Australian Open, when Collins accused Swiatek of being "fake" after their semi-final match. Collins said that Swiatek was "not genuine" and that she "didn't like her attitude."
Swiatek responded by saying that she was "disappointed" by Collins' comments and that she did not think they were fair. She also said that she did not want to engage in a feud with Collins.
The feud between the two players has continued since then, with Collins making several other comments about Swiatek in the media.
Collins says she is not afraid of Swiatek
Collins also said in the interview that she is not afraid of Swiatek, despite the Pole's dominance on the WTA Tour.
"I'm not afraid of her at all," Collins said. "I think I can beat her. I just need to play my best tennis."
Collins has never beaten Swiatek in a WTA match, but she did win their only meeting on the ITF Circuit in 2014.
Swiatek is the heavy favorite to win the French Open
Swiatek is the heavy favorite to win the French Open, which begins on May 28. She has won the last two Grand Slams and is currently on a 30-match winning streak.
Collins is also competing at the French Open, but she is not seeded. She will face qualifier Astra Sharma in the first round.