“I just think how well she can play under pressure”: Collins names two unseeded threats at the Australian Open

Danielle Collins spoke about potential surprises in the Australian Open main draw during her appearance on The Big T Podcast in Tennis Channel, where she was joined by former world No. 9 Coco Vandeweghe and Jannik Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill to preview the start of the season’s first Major.

Collins, the Australian Open finalist back in 2022, will not be competing in this year’s tournament. As she explained, she is currently undergoing an egg-freezing treatment, although she hopes to return to competition in the coming months. In the meantime, she has joined Tennis Channel’s broadcast team to commentate on the season’s first Major.

In 2025, Collins found herself at the centre of controversy during her second-round match against local favourite Destanee Aiava. In a tight encounter, the American 10th seed eventually secured a 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 victory. The Melbourne crowd made its presence felt, interrupting some of Aiava’s service games and celebrating points loudly—something that clearly irritated Collins.

After the match, Collins blew kisses to the crowd and slapped her backside in their direction. She later joked that everyone in attendance was paying for the luxury holiday she would enjoy after the tournament, along with all her expenses. Collins was booed when she walked onto the court before her third-round loss to Madison Keys, who defeated her 6-4, 6-4.

One of the main topics of conversation with Vandeweghe and Cahill was the possibility of surprises in the women’s draw. Collins selected two unseeded players whom she believes could make waves during the tournament. “OK, give it to me. I'm going to go with Olga Danilovic, Serbian superstar,” said the former Australian Open runner-up. “I just think the way that she strikes the ball, how well she can play under pressure. I've beaten her before. I've lost to her before.”

Collins and Danilovic have faced each other three times—all on clay courts and all in three-set matches. Collins won in Madrid 2024, while Danilovic took revenge at Roland Garros 2024 and repeated the feat at the same venue in 2025.

Collins also surprised by naming one of the tournament’s veterans as a player to watch. “I am also going to say one other player. I think when Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Pavs. When she’s playing her best tennis, she is dangerous. And I think if she's healthy, I haven't seen what she's been doing…”

Pavlyuchenkova, now 34, has made 17 consecutive appearances at the Australian Open and has reached the quarter-finals on four occasions—including in 2025, when she was eliminated in a three-set battle by Aryna Sabalenka. The Russian was also a finalist at Roland Garros in 2021, losing to Barbora Krejcikova, and has recorded nine additional Grand Slam quarter-final appearances between 2011 and 2025.

Collins received feedback from former world No. 9 Coco Vandeweghe, who agreed with her assessment of the Serbian but questioned the Russian’s ability to go deep in the tournament. “I’m going to agree with you in Danilovic,” Vandeweghe replied. “But I’m going to disagree with you on Pavs. I think Pavs has had her time, she’s got a ring on it also, she’s got wedding planning to do.”

While the panel agreed on the favourite status of Sabalenka, Gauff and Swiatek, they also highlighted other players who could contend for the title. “It’s going to be Rybakina, it’s also gonna be Jess Pegula, Osaka, Keys, Anisimova… I mean, they are women that have contended and made finals,” said Vandeweghe.

“I think Pegula also has a really good chance of doing well here. And I really like that she pulled out of Adelaide going into this week. I feel like Jess has been a player that likes to get a lot of matches, she likes to play week after week. But sometimes I feel like when she plays those tournaments the week before a Slam, it doesn’t always put her in the best position to go on a long run during a two-week tournament.”