Melbourne teenager Destanee Aiava leaves fear behind as she prepares for her second Australian Open

THIS time last year, Destanee Aiava was afraid. But as she prepares to return to Melbourne Park for another berth in her home grand slam, the local teenager tells Lauren Wood she holds no fear.

Australian Open womens wildcard playoff final. Destanee Aiava vs. Tammi Patterson. Destanee Aiava in action winning in straight sets. Pic: Michael Klein

THIS time last year, Destanee Aiava was afraid.

She’d won the Australian Open playoff final and was about to become the first player born this century to play in a grand slam.

There was talk about her power and her prospects and a whirlwind of media commitments — including a meeting with idol and world No. 1 Serena Williams — for the then-16-year-old from Narre Warren, all having just completed Year 10.

Brisbane International and Kooyong Classic appearances soon followed, before a loss to Mona Barthel in the first round of the grand slam came in a “shaky” showing.

But as she prepares to return to Melbourne Park for another berth in her home grand slam, Aiava holds no fear.

Aiava, pictured before the 2017 Australian Open with then-top-ranked and eventual champion Serena Williams. Picture: Getty Images

“Last year, I was a bit scared,” Aiava admits.

“It was my first grand slam and I hadn’t really played much in the professional level. I felt like I had a lot of expectation — from the media, and all of Australia as well. This year, I’m a bit more relaxed and I’m just going to go out and have fun.

“It was just the feeling of stepping out in front of that many people, and onto the big scene and going in the deep end.

“I got Showcourt 2, and it was pretty big. During the match I was really shaky. But it was my first experience.

“This year I’ll probably enjoy it a lot more.”

She was a bit “bombarded” then, the right-hander — now 17, and into the Open after winning the recent wildcard playoff — believes, and having “lived a bit more … a little bit” since then, has the hindsight to recognise as such.

She enjoys it now, and is more conscious of her passion for a challenge.

And if tournament organisers see fit to hit her with a big court in her second crack at Melbourne Park, she’ll be saying bring it on.

“I’m starting to really enjoy all this and what it comes with,” Aiava said.

Destanee Aiava with her prized accreditation to the Australian Open after winning the wildcard playoff. Picture: Michael Klein

“Not so much the attention, but getting my name out there and people recognising what I’m doing and giving me a lot of props for that. I really enjoy that.

“I’ll just take it how it comes. I’m just looking forward to playing.

“Hopefully I get a big court again. That would be so good — I’d just take it all in.

“I’ve gone from one extreme to another. It’s so good.

“Last year, I was always in a bubble and I didn’t really get out much. I was like tennis, tennis, tennis. But now I’m like ‘just embrace it’.”

Aiava has also learned the value of “splitting” her life.

Trained by and living with mum Rosie — who Aiava says has started a collection of the young star’s tournament accreditation passes on their wall at home — the teenager realised after last year’s slam debut that something had to change.

She’s cut back “hanging with tennis people”, and is more likely to be chilling with friends, shopping, adding to her 60-pair-strong shoe collection or listening to American hip hop sensation J Cole than mulling over that serve at 40-30 in the fifth game of a recent match.

And — she explained, in platform sneakers adorned in sequin roses — it’s worked.

“I started thinking about that a lot last year, from Aus Open and stuff,” she said.

“That whole summer was tennis, tennis, tennis and I just needed something to take my mind off it. I thought just to keep (tennis and my life away from the court) separate.

“I just turn off ... zone out. Listen to music or something.”

Aiava isn’t afraid to show her personality off the court. Picture: Michael Klein

It’s important to “Des” — to show her personality, too, not just her ability as a player.

“I really want to show everyone it’s not just tennis,” she says.

“You can have a life.

“It’s fine to say what you want — not in a bad way.”

Her powerful serve and ground strokes didn’t always come naturally.

A young Aiava tried swimming, taekwondo and soccer before one day spotting Williams playing tennis on the television.

Sport? Tick. On TV, to boot? A big tick, Aiava said, for a young girl in Melbourne’s east who dreamt of being “famous” in one way or another.

It also provided an alternative to the sports she had tried — they didn’t exactly work out as planned.

“Soccer I did first. My parents were the coaches, and I got kicked off the team,” she laughed.

“I wouldn’t share — I wouldn’t pass the ball at all and was a really selfish player. I would score the goal for everyone, but they just wouldn’t get a go.

“Swimming was ... no. Cannot swim.

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“Taekwondo ... you know how you’re meant to spar, but just pretend and not go so far? It was a bit too much.

“Everyone in my family played sport so I thought ‘I should choose a sport’.

“They didn’t know anything about tennis and I said ‘I want to play tennis’. They took me to the nearest club and I started (junior lessons), and I was with the same coach until I was 12.

“I don’t think I was a natural at it. I was just hitting the back fence with every ball.

“But I kind of just had that hard work ethic from when I was little from watching my parents train everyone. I just kind of worked myself into it.”

At just 17, Aiava’s travel and tournaments will be restricted in 2018, but that doesn’t mean she is putting a ceiling on her plans, with making it inside the world’s top 100 by midyear the aim.

“I want to do uni and stuff. I still want that experience,” she said, before her eyes widened.

“The end goal is to win a lot of grand slams.

“And be No. 1 in the world.”