Destanee Aiava’s iconic Australian Open outfits turning heads

Aussie Destanee Aiava has made waves at the Australian Open with her opening round outfit capturing the attention of a fashion powerhouse.

Australian tennis player Destanee Aiava is turning heads at the Australian Open and it has everything to do with her outfits.

Each and every year the attire of players at Melbourne Park comes under the microscope of those watching on.

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Some outfits are good, while others are extremely questionable. The 24-year-old Aiava has made her own category this year … iconic.

Aiava produced a breathtaking opening round victory, securing her first ever grand slam win after taking down Belgium’s Greet Minnen 5-7 7-5 7-6 (10-5) on Monday night.

And while the feat was incredibly impressive, especially considering she came back from 2-5 down in the second set, it was her outfit that stole the show.

The Aussie was wearing a navy, cobalt and sky blue Adidas x Stella McCartney dress with eagle-eyed viewers quickly noticing it was one worn by Caroline Wozniacki during the 2013 US Open.

To make things even more iconic, Aiava said she had picked up the outfit online in the days prior to her opening round encounter.

“I found one on Facebook yesterday before my (qualifying) match. I might go pick that up. It’s only $35, which is a steal,” Aiava told the BBC.

Aiava rocking the dress during her opening round victory. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Wozniacki wearing the dress over 10 years ago. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

And it wasn’t just in the main draw when the Aussie was showing love to some iconic outfits from legends of the game.

During her qualifying matches Aiava paid homage to Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic with her match day attire.

In her first outing against Panna Udvardy, Aiava wore the same light pink Nike dress worn by Sharapova during the 2012 US Open.

Then during her final qualifying match against Eva Lys, the Aussie was kitted out in the same pink Adidas dress Ivanovic wore at the 2010 US Open.

Aiava sporting the same dress during qualifying. Picture: David Caird

Ivanovic during the 2010 US Open (Photo by Carlos M. Saavedra /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

The tennis world has been loving what they are seeing from the Aussie with her throwback outfits to some stars of the game.

Journalist Bastien Fachan wrote on X: “There’s winning your first Grand Slam match … and there’s winning your first Grand Slam match in a 2013 Caroline Wozniacki x Stella McCartney dress you bought from eBay. Iconic.”

It wasn’t just tennis fans however that were obsessing over her attire, with Aiava making it onto fashion powerhouse Vogue’s radar.

In a post on the company’s Instagram account, the Aussie was featured alongside images of the past stars with the caption stating: “Tennis star Destanee Aiava (@desaiava) is making vintage finds her new sport. The mantra for the 24-year-old’s current run seems to, simply, be do as champions do—and dress. Aiava has been scouring eBay to craft a wardrobe worn by tennis legends—taking her first win in a dress once sported by Danish tennis legend Caroline Wozniacki.”

Aiava’s outfit during her opening qualifying match.

Sharapova wearing it during the 2012 US Open. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

When asked why she was showing love to past stars of the game and their outfits, the Aussie delivered a not-so-subtle shot at today’s fashion sense.

“I just loved what they wore,” Aiava said to the BBC.

“I think some of the stuff that is being designed is quite ugly. I just like to wear what I think looks good. I don’t like wearing the same thing as everyone else.

“I didn’t really think it would make any impact at all, me wearing the dresses. But I’m glad I did.

“It’s been fun bringing them back. I think even if you lose, it’s still kind of a fashion runway when you’re on the court.”

Aiava is making waves with her outfits. Picture: Michael Klein

Despite making waves with her iconic outfits, the Aussie was sadly the target of bodyshaming online trolls ahead of the Australian Open.

While many celebrated her looks on the court, others chose to take shots at the world no. 165 with some despicable comments.

Following a victory in qualifying she was asked if she had been impacted by the comments to which she replied: “I was. It’s not nice to see those comments.

“I don’t really look for them. Sometimes I look my name up just to find photos of my matches and then I see the bad stuff.

“I’ve been told to bite my tongue but I don’t really like to.”

Two years ago, Aiava was in a terrible place in her life and posted online that she had planned to commit suicide on Easter Sunday, 2022, just weeks before her 22nd birthday.

Thankfully, as Aiava said in an Instagram post at the time, passers by stopped and convinced her not to go through with it and she is now progressing in her promising tennis career.

Not only is she making waves with her on court play, the rising Aussie is capturing the attention of tennis fans and the fashion world with her outfits.

Aiava is set to return to the court on Thursday when she goes up against 10th seeded American Danielle Collins.

All eyes will be on her and which past legend she’ll channel when she walks out onto Show Court Arena.