Tennis prodigy Destanee was once the world’s best 14-year-old. She’s still desperate for a slam breakthrough

A one-time Australian tennis prodigy is hellbent on smashing her grand slam hoodoo and flourishing at a home grand slam, after admitting her journey last year on the tour’s lower rungs was akin to a last-chance saloon to stave off early retirement.

Destanee Aiava was a fresh-faced teenager in 2018 when she had then world No.1 and eventual finalist Simona Halep on the ropes in a captivating clash at Rod Laver Arena. Since then, she’s gone public with her mental health struggles – including a diagnosis for borderline personality disorder – and has returned from the brink of the tennis wilderness.

Aiava left Australia with a world ranking in the 300s, a modest bank balance, and the brutal realities of life as a tennis battler – skipping meals and sleeping in airports – ahead of her.

Destanee Aiava: “Every girl plays like it’s life and death. Those are the lessons I learnt.”Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

But the 23-year-old’s results in 2023 – including three International Tennis Federation titles and doubles success – were strong enough to convince her to keep plugging away and not hang up the racquet.

“It’s been pretty tough, especially this year [in 2023] as I had to fund my entire trip in Europe, and then I went into the negatives [financially],” said Aiava, who grew up in Narre Warren in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.

“I was kind of asking my mum for money, like almost every week – 200 bucks for food, or a train or bus ticket just to help me get by.

“It was pretty tough but a pretty humbling experience and I don’t think I would change it.”

At 17, Aiava played in her second Australian Open. She led Halep 5-2, 40-15 before the moment slipped from her grasp and Aiava lost in straight sets.

Six years later, Aiava says her game and composure have improved. Crucially, she believes she has hardened her resolve for the brutality of slam qualification.

“In the past I’ve been [in qualifying] and thought ‘this is tough. It’s going to be hard and almost near impossible’,” Aiava said.

“It doesn’t matter how good you are, it’s the amount of hunger you have on the court.

“Every girl plays like it’s life and death. Those are the lessons I learnt in Europe, so that’s what I’m implementing in my game.”

One of Aiava’s titles last year, the NSW Open, was especially satisfying.

“That was my biggest title so far, also in Sydney, which is my second home. I trained there for a couple of years with my old coach Nicole Kriz. That’s a second home to me, so it was really special,” she said.

Now ranked No.206 in the world, Aiava – an Australian Open wildcard recipient in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 – is in the right rankings slot to enter qualifying at other majors, too.

Slams have men’s and women’s singles draws with 128 players, with the same number of players in qualifying.

Australian Open qualifying starts at Melbourne Park on Monday and reaches a crescendo on Thursday when the final main-draw spots go on the line.

Aiava will again head to Europe this year with the ultimate aim of breaking into the world’s top 100.

“I’d definitely love to be in the top 150. I think that’s a bit more of a realistic goal,” she said. “My goal for [2023] was top 250, but I smashed that out of the park.”

Aiava at the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne.Credit: Luis Ascui

In any case, Aiava can now envisage a longer journey in professional tennis.

“Now that I’ve put myself in a position to play grand slam qualies now, it’s more of a realistic [prospect] that I see [making a career],” she said.

The financial rewards for snatching a main-draw spot at the Australian Open – or at Roland Garros or Wimbledon – would prove the world of difference.

“It’s a big step, especially financially, too, to set myself up for the entire year,” said Aiava, who went close to qualifying for Wimbledon in 2017.

First-round losers in Melbourne will each take home $120,000, while prizemoney for those who exit at the first stage of qualifying is up 20 per cent to $31,250.

She acknowledges it’s difficult for the Australian public to grasp just how tough life is for players on the tennis breadline.

“The perception is that we all just travel the world and see the best of it, we’re living an amazing life [with] private jets, and getting paid millions of dollars,” Aiava said.

“But I think that’s the reality for 5 per cent of us who are in the top 50. And the rest, it’s sleeping outside or at the airports just to save money.”

Aiava’s borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnosis was a watershed moment. She has since found a level of stability and peace in her life that was previously missing.

“Last year I got help and found out I had borderline personality disorder,” Aiava said candidly.

“I’ve been working really hard on stabilising myself, [in] my off-court life.

Gabriela Ruffels and Aiava representing Australia in a junior tennis event in 2014.Credit: Tennis Australia

“I think that was the number one thing that was damaging my progress. That was what I was struggling with – if I wanted to keep playing or not. With BPD I’ve just struggled a lot with career choices, and motivation and all that.

“I do feel a lot more stable. Life is not boring, but it’s healthy. I think that’s what I struggled with – understanding that boring is not boring, but it’s healthy and it’s normal.”

Aiava’s potential sky-high career trajectory was spelled out early when the talented junior, then aged 12, represented Australia and won the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament at Roland Garros.

The event brings together top youngsters, nominated by their federations, from across the globe. Strong-hitting right-hander Aiava won the 13-and-under event without dropping a set and received a ringing endorsement from the legendary Steffi Graf.

But Aiava’s story is a sharp reminder that success is never guaranteed. With newfound perspective, she’s considered what advice she would give to her younger self or dish out to others who are grappling with their self-worth.

“I would have liked someone to tell me that happiness and mental health matters more than your job … That was the main thing for me. Getting help isn’t bad. You don’t need to go through everything by yourself.

“I think with my culture, mental health isn’t very big [as a priority]. It’s looked down upon, even for kids in my culture as well,” said Aiava, who is of Samoan descent.

“It’s not weak to speak.”

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