Samoan-Australian tennis player Destanee Aiava's heartwarming Australian Open run has ended with a three-set loss to 10th seed Danielle Collins.
The 24-year-old and highly-touted junior achieved her long-waited maiden win at any major against Belgian world no.91 Greet Minnen in the opening days at Melbourne Park.
At the 2017 Australian Open, aged 16, Aiava became the first player born in the 2000s to feature in the main rounds at any Grand Slam.
The Melbourne-born talent would wait eight years for her first win, going to a tiebreak in the third set over Minnen after progressing through qualifiers.
"I'm cooked…I'm just so happy to finally get that first round win, especially at my home Slam. I literally put everything into that match," Aiava told Nine on Monday.
In her match on Thursday night, Aiava took a set from Collins after falling short in an opening set tiebreak before falling 6-4 in the third.
A decider awaits ðŸ'ª
Destanee Aiava forces the No.10 seed Collins into a third set at Kia Arena!@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/qZBwnAOnwK
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2025
The American copped boos from the crowd post-match, amplified after a gesture where she placed a hand on her ear and blew a kiss at the stands, before comments on collecting a "pay check" as holiday funding.
Aiava has previously spoken candidly about her mental health battles and heartbreaking levels it spiralled to before getting back on her feet.
She's also won fans over with her throwback outfits on court at the Australian Open, donning dresses, sporting some more than a decade since they were debuted by the game's stars, for matches.
"I've found them on eBay—for double the price that they were originally for," Aiava told Bounces last week.
"But yeah, I just like looking—on Depop, Facebook Marketplace, eBay—to find the old, vintage outfits that I loved when I was little."
Aiava, who's yet to break into the top 100 of the world, is currently the 10th-ranked Australian in women's singles.
She won five titles in a 41-7 year on the 2014 ITF junior circuit before turning pro the following season.
