Australian Open Day 2: Destanee Aiava’s miraculous victory the comeback of a lifetime

It was one of the Australian Open’s most unbelievable comebacks, but Destanee Aiava had to overcome far more than match point to achieve her first Grand Slam win. TRIGGER WARNING: This story contains content about suicide.

Australia's Destanee Aiava celebrates beating Belgium's Greet Minnen in their women's singles match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 13, 2025. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

It took Australian tennis prodigy Destanee Aiava a decade to become an overnight success but she’s now the living proof there is always hope.

The new darling of this year’s Australian Open, Aiava staged one of the most amazing comebacks ever seen at the tournament to record her first win at a grand slam event since turning professional a decade ago.

Showing nerves of steel, the 24-year-old saved two match points in the third set, one with a blistering 153 km/h ace, having already overturned a 5-2 deficit in the second set, to post an astonishing 5-7 7-5 7-6 win over Belgium’s Greet Minnen late on Monday night.

“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,” she said. “It was really nice and special. The crowd got me through.”

The crowd on court three went nuts as Aiava dropped her racket in disbelief and raised her arms in the air, celebrating like she had won the tournament.

But for those closest to Aiava, they knew her stunning achievement meant far more than just winning a tennis match.

Destanee Aiava after defeating Greet Minnen. Picture: Michael Klein

Three years ago, Aiava had lost all hope and decided to take her own life on Easter Sunday 2022. She was rescued by three strangers who spotted her on a Melbourne bridge and convinced her to let them drive her home so she could get help for her mental wellbeing.

She did that and is now in a better place. Speaking candidly after her triumphant win on Monday, she reflected on those dark days when she never envisioned herself succeeding in tennis.

“I can sometimes get into a really bad head space and think that I was never going to win a first-round match or I wouldn’t ever qualify, before I did at the US Open (in 2024),” she said.

“But once I actually do those things and the belief comes with it, then just the more situations I’m in like this, it definitely gives me more confidence.”

A promising junior who looked to be on her way to bigger things when she turned pro in 2015, Aiava hasn’t had much luck since graduating to the senior ranks, despite winning 10 tournaments on the lower ITF circuit.

DESTANEE FULFILLED AT #AO2025

Aiava fights back from the brink to score her first AO main draw victory! @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025pic.twitter.com/RZbtWLTNMR

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 13, 2025

In her four previous appearances at the Australian Open, she had lost in the first round each time. She also lost her only first round match at the US Open last year and has never made the main draw of Wimbledon or the French Open despite trying many times.

Given wildcards into the Australian Open in the last, Aiava didn’t get an automatic place in the first grand slam of 2025, so had to come through the qualifiers just to get a start.

But that only made it even more rewarding and after getting through to the second round, where she will face the 2022 Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins, she is already guaranteed $200,000.

Australian Destanee Alava. Picture: David Caird

“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 traveling on my own. The fact that I get to bring my fiancé with me and hopefully one of my family members to the big ones makes a world of a difference.”

Professional tennis has always been a brutal sport because they are alone on the court and there’s nowhere for players to hide. For every winner, there’s also a loser.

Like a lot of top players, Aiava has a love-hate relationship with the game, but has kept reminding herself about what she likes about it to help her keep going.

Destanee Aiava throws her raquet during her match. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images.

Belgium's Greet Minnen was in control for the first half. Picture: William West/AFP.

“Nowadays, I enjoy it,” she said. “I used to feel a lot of pressure and expectations but now I feel maybe it’s ‘cause I’m older now and I’ve dealt with these kinds of situations a lot more. I’m able to handle it a lot better, knowing that there are kids that I am inspiring.

“I had to really step back and appreciate things that tennis has given me and not look at it as something so negative. It’s really hard because you’re losing so many times in tennis more than you win. I can get into a really negative head space.

“Just looking back each week, just feeling a lot of gratitude for everything that tennis has given me…I’m here playing my favourite Grand Slam, in the second round. I can only be thankful and grateful that I get to do this as a job.

“I’m not turning up to do something that I hate, even though I do hate it sometimes.”

An emotional Destanee Aiava after winning her round 3 qualifying match and advancing to the main draw on January 9. Picture: Michael Klein

As well as struggling on court, Aiava has also been hounded for years by online trolls, posting disgusting comments not only about her results but also her appearance.

Open about her mental health challenges, she’s fired back from time to time but said her friends and family keep telling her the best thing to do is ignore social media altogether, and she’s trying.

“At the moment I’m dealing with it okay. I try to stay off my phone as much as possible and “I’m used to it now because I had so much when I was little. I’m older now. 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 “I feel like the only negative things I see is from other people commenting, it’s not so much the articles that are bad. Maybe some titles are a bit clickbait.

Destanee Aiava after her win. Picture: Michael Klein

“I don’t think there’s much the media can do better. It’s their job. It’s just the average Joes being shit to people.

“Everyone who came to watch and was screaming and supporting, I feel like they’re less inclined to maybe give a bad comment. I feel like they wouldn’t have sat there the whole time and watched if they didn’t feel positively towards either player.

“It’s just the people that sit behind their phones and have nothing better to do that are sad and unhappy with their lives. I try not to look into it too much but I do like telling them off.”

LIFELINE: 13 11 14

OSAKA BANISHES FIRST-ROUND DEMONS AS AUSSIE PUSHES NO.12 SEED TO THE END

Meanwhile, Japanese tennis superstar Naomi Osaka claimed her first win at the Australian Open in three years with a 6-3 3-6 6-3 win over Carolina Garcia of France on Monday.

The Australian Open champion in 2019 and 2021, Osaka took a break from the sport in 2023 after having a baby daughter.

She returned to Melbourne last year but lost in the opening round but made no mistake this time, seeing off Garcia on the Rod Laver Arena to advance to the second round.

Australia’s Christopher O’Connell lost a heartbreaking five-set thriller at the Australian Open on Monday.Up against talented American Tommy Paul, who made the semifinals at Melbourne Park two years ago and is seeded 12th, O’Connell fought all the way before going down 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-7 7-5.

Australia's Christopher O'Connell put up a valiant fight against No.12 seed Tommy Paul. Picture: Paul Crock / AFP.

ALCARAZ BREEZES THROUGH TO SECOND ROUND

Carlos Alcaraz has cruised through his opening round clash at the Australian Open in devastating fashion, smashing Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko on Margaret Court Arena.

Playing in a sleeveless shirt that showed off his beefy biceps, the Spanish sensation demonstrated to everyone that he means business as he raced to a 6-1 7-5 6-1 victory.

Alcaraz will now play Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round.

Untroubled in racing through the first set, the only problem Alcaraz had was when he briefly lost concentration in the second, dropping four games on the trot before rallying back.

“I think I played a great level. Honestly, the first match of the season you never know how it is going to be,” Alcaraz said.

“ I had the confidence to think that I was going to be good, but you never know.

I’m just really, really happy with the level that I played, with everything I’ve done today. But I really want to be better in the next round.”

Carlos Alcaraz

In the third set, he reeled off five games in a row before clinching the victory with a 18 km/hr ace.

With two Wimbledon, one US Open and one French Open title already on his CV, Alcaraz only needs to win the Australian Open to complete the set.

Just 21, he’ll become the youngest man ever to achieve the feat if he can win in Melbourne in 2025, 2026 or 2027.

“There is no secret, I work, I try to be better every day,” said Alcaraz. “I am trying to be a better person and player every day.

“This is a tournament I really want to win one day, hopefully this year.”

Recap all the action from Day 2 below.

Originally published as Australian Open Day 2: Destanee Aiava’s miraculous victory the comeback of a lifetime