Daily Dose of Social Media: Danielle Collins brings fun to Team USA as Anna Kalinskaya stuns with hilarious shirt

Danielle Collins starred in a fun video documenting Team USA's victory at the United Cup, which we reviewed in a new Daily Dose of Social Media. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are making their final adjustments before the Australian Open, with the Italian joining Cruz Hewitt for his last training session.

On the other hand, Jasmine Paolini celebrated her birthday in Melbourne after Italy's elimination from the United Cup, while Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider shared a fun moment as they swapped sportswear and went shopping together in Brisbane.

“Call Me Danimal”: Collins documents Team USA’s victory at the United Cup

Danielle Collins stole the spotlight behind the scenes for Team USA at the United Cup. The former Australian Open finalist is part of the mixed-team tournament held in Sydney, although she hasn’t yet played on court and has been supporting her team from the bench.

The former world No. 8 starred in a video during the team’s recent tie against the Czech Republic, taking over the tournament’s social media accounts to record the action surrounding Team USA.

“Ok Danielle, we all know what we want,” world No. 3 Coco Gauff joked to Collins at the beginning of the video, as the 31-year-old danced for the camera.

“Just call me Danimal, the videographer,” Collins said, filming herself in selfie mode. “Give ’em a wink,” she told her teammate Desirae Krawczyk. The video also featured Collins capturing the moment when Gauff defeated Karolina Muchova to secure the victory for Team USA. Watch the full video below.

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Sinner catches up with F1’s George Russell, shares training with Cruz Hewitt 

Jannik Sinner recently shared his final training session with 16-year-old rising star Cruz Hewitt, the son of former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, who has received a wild card for the Australian Open. In photos shared by the teenager, the two are seen together on the Central Court at Melbourne Park. Hewitt also shared a throwback photo from 2020 when he was just 11 years old.

The two-time Grand Slam champion expressed satisfaction with his form during his early training days at Melbourne Park and shared several photos with his fans on Instagram. “Feels great to be back @australianopen 🤝🏻” he posted. Sinner opted not to participate in any warm-up tournaments ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year and will return to the court in the Australian Open’s first round, starting on 14 January.

Additionally, a video surfaced showing Sinner meeting with F1 driver George Russell – the British Mercedes driver – a few days ago in Monaco, where the world No. 1 resides. The two were spotted at a café chatting, while Sinner briefly took photos with a few fans who recognized him.

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Kalinskaya's hilarious shirt lights up Brisbane recovery session

World No. 14 Anna Kalinskaya participated in the Brisbane International this week, where she suffered a first-round exit in singles but had a strong doubles run alongside her friend Priscilla Hon. The duo advanced to the final, defeating the top-seeded pair Chan/Kichenok along the way, although they ultimately fell to Russian Olympic silver medallists Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider.

After the doubles final, the New Zealander shared a video on social media showing Kalinskaya doing recovery work on an elliptical bike while wearing a humorous shirt that read, “Not Good at Any Sports”. The 25-year-old player’s lighthearted approach charmed her fans.

Carlos Alcaraz prepares for Australian Open with high-intensity training

A new video has emerged showing Carlos Alcaraz gearing up for the Australian Open. The 5-time Grand Slam champion appears in peak physical form as he fine-tunes his game ahead of the season’s first Grand Slam. Under the guidance of his coaching duo, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Samuel López, Alcaraz practiced while a few onlookers watched from outside the court.

The Spanish star will return to the court on Wednesday, 8 January, in a charity exhibition match against World No. 8 Alex de Minaur. Two days later, Alcaraz is set to participate in a second exhibition match.

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Shnaider and Andreeva swap sportswear for stylish looks in Brisbane

Diana Shnaider and Mirra Andreeva had a remarkable week at the Brisbane International, clinching their first doubles title together just days after announcing their year-long partnership. The Russian duo, who plan to compete in all Grand Slams and WTA 1000 events this season, previously teamed up at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they secured a silver medal after losing to the Italian pair Paolini/Errani.

In a post-match interview, Shnaider reflected on the experience: "Well, I just got here tonight, but it’s great to be back. I mean, to start the year here, in this beautiful city."

The young stars also participated in a fun off-court video during their time in Brisbane, exploring James Street to discover Australian labels. The duo went shopping together, trying on various outfits and enjoying a change from their usual athletic attire. "It’s hard because I can only bring one big suitcase," Shnaider joked. "That’s what my mum tells me, so I can’t really bring a lot of clothes." The pair shared laughs as they modeled different styles, showcasing their playful camaraderie.

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Paolini celebrates 29th birthday in Melbourne

Jasmine Paolini celebrated her birthday in Melbourne after finishing her participation in the United Cup. The world No. 4 quickly traveled from Sydney to prepare for the Australian Open—after withdrawing from the Adelaide International to take a break before the first Grand Slam of the year begins. The Italian celebrated her 29th birthday 'the Italian way' by eating pizza in Melbourne.

Paolini was key for Italy in their journey to the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by the Czech Republic after Paolini lost to Muchova and Flavio Cobolli fell to Tomas Machac. The 2-time Grand Slam finalist now looks ahead to the Australian Open, where she is the 4th seed and is focusing on her recovery while taking time off to regain her best physical condition.

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