Former prodigy Destanee Aiava is celebrating a career-changing Australian Open victory after emerging from a hellish period to rediscover her love for tennis.
The 24-year-old from Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs has become one of the best stories of this year’s Open after qualifying then securing her first grand slam match win.
Aiava had to do it the hard way after falling a set and 5-2 behind, then saving consecutive match points in the third set, before outlasting Belgian Greet Minnen 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (10-5).
She had lost five times in the opening round in majors, including 2017-2019 and 2021 at the Australian Open, but will now pocket at least $200,000 in prize money for her efforts.
A second-round date awaits with feisty American 10th seed Danielle Collins, who lost the 2022 final to Australia’s Ash Barty.
“I’m just super happy to get through and finally win a first round of singles in a grand slam, especially at my home slam,” Aiava said.
Destanee Aiava plays a backhand against Greet Minnen of Belgium.Credit: Getty Images
“It was really nice and special. The crowd got me through. I felt it from the very first point. Everyone was so loud [and] they gave me the energy that I needed to get through that match, especially when I was down and had match points against me.”
The enormous payday is particularly important for Aiava, who previously contemplated selling her house and even asked for money on an Australian tennis forum to keep her tennis dream alive.
There were also times she considered quitting and starting a fashion design degree instead.
Destanee Aiava has become one of the best stories of this year’s Australian Open tournament.Credit: Getty Images
“It means that I can bring someone to travel with this year, and I can afford to actually go to all the tournaments that I want to,” she said.
“It really helps. Financially, tennis is so expensive. I struggle travelling on my own. The fact that I get to bring my fiancé [Corey Gaal] with me, and hopefully one of my family members, to the big ones – it makes a world of a difference.”
Aiava has captured international attention for her Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic throwback outfits off Facebook marketplace and eBay, as well for her journey from the world’s best 14-year-old to being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
“At the moment, I’m dealing with it OK,” she said. “I try to stay off my phone as much as possible and not look into the negative stuff on [social] media too much.
“I think I’m used to it now because I had so much [attention] when I was little. I’m older now and I can deal with it a lot better. I have the people around me to keep me in check. If they see me on my phone too much, they’ll just take it away.”
Destanee Aiava represented Australia in the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament in 2012.Credit: Paul Rovere
Aiava never had a normal childhood because of her early success, which prompted good judges to predict she would be a future champion.
Her reward for winning the 13-and-under Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament as a 12-year-old was the chance to play doubles alongside the legendary Steffi Graf, who said at the time she was “really impressed”.
Many junior stars across various sports have flamed out in the years that followed, and Aiava looked for some time that she could be another cautionary tale.
“Nowadays, I enjoy it,” she said. “I used to feel a lot of pressure and expectations, but now I feel maybe because I’m older and I’ve dealt with these kinds of situations a lot more, I’m able to handle it a lot better.”
Aiava has often spoken about her challenging personal journey, which includes a complicated relationship with tennis.
“I think I had to really step back and appreciate things that tennis has given me, and not look at it as something so negative,” she said.
“It’s really hard because you’re losing so many times in tennis more than you win. I can get into a really negative headspace.
“I think just looking back each week, feeling a lot of gratitude for everything that tennis has given me [has helped]. I mean, I’m here playing my favourite grand slam, in the second round.”
Aiava has also found time to hit back at social media trolls, at least two of whom have tried to body-shame her.
“It’s the people who sit behind their phones and have nothing better to do who are sad and unhappy with their lives. I don’t know, but I try not to look into it too much.
“I do like telling them off.”
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