PLAYER PROFILE

Destanee Aiava

10
AUSTRALIAN
RANKING
177
WTA
RANKING
  • Age24
  • Born10 May 2000
  • Birth PlaceMelbourne, Victoria
  • LivesNarre Warren, Victoria
  • Height175 cm
  • PlaysRight-handed
  • CoachNicole Kriz
  • Pro Since2015
FOLLOW
“I think it's more my mentality. It's really me getting out of my own way and actually not shying away from wanting to succeed in this sport.”

— Destanee Aiava, 9 Jan 2025

» Aiava, Birrell punch their tickets to AO main draw

On court

  • Won the singles and doubles events at the 2011 Australian Optus Championships
  • In 2012, selected to represent Australia at the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament in Paris; she went on to win the tournament. Her prize was a opportunity to hit with 22-time Grand Slam Champion Steffi Graf
  • Went a sparkling 41-7 on the ITF junior circuit in 2014, winning five titles (including the U18 Canadian World Ranking Event Montreal)
  • Reached the third round of the Australian Open junior championships in 2014 and 2015
  • Represented Australia in Junior Fed Cup play in 2014 and 2015; both years competed in the competition finals, in San Luis Potosi, Mexico (2014) and Madrid, Spain (2015)
  • In just her fourth ever pro tournament, reached the quarterfinals of the $15,000 ITF event in Melbourne.
  • Upset No.3 seed Sara Tomic en route to the semifinals of the 18/u Australian Championships in 2015
  • Advanced to her first final at the Canberra Claycourt International #1 in March 2016 after beginning the week as a qualifier
  • At the Brisbane International in 2017, won three rounds of qualifying before beating Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the main draw to win her first WTA tour-level match.
  • Made her Grand Slam debut at Australian Open 2017 at age 16, becoming the first player to be born in 2000 or later to compete in a major
  • Won her first professional title at the Australian Pro Tour event in Perth in February 2017
  • In April 2018, captured her first pro title overseas at the ITF 25K event in Osaka, Japan (beating former world No.38 Rebecca Marino in the final)
  • That same month, debuted in Australia’s Fed Cup team for the World Group Play-off tie against Netherlands in Wollongong, winning the doubles rubber with Daria Gavrilova
  • Stunned world No.10 and second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the first round of the WTA grass-court tournament in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (June 2019)
  • In November 2022, won the Australian Pro Tour title in Traralgon, her first tournament win in three-and-a-half years
  • Was among a record five Australian women to qualify at US Open 2024.

Off court

  • Goal is to one day become world No.1 which inspires her to continually improve her game, much like her hero Roger Federer
  • Mother is a former rugby player; father is the Australian UFC coach
  • Started out playing soccer but says she was kicked off her junior team because “I wouldn’t pass the ball”
  • Nickname is ‘Des’.

Year-end singles ranking history

2023 186
2022 402
2021 310
2020 214
2019 197
2018 249
2017 150
2016 382
2015 674

Destanee Aiava in the news

Ranking Movers: Top 150 returns on Hon’s horizon
Priscilla Hon (Alex Coppel/Tennis Australia)
25 February, 2025

Priscilla Hon is nearing the top 150 in both singles and doubles action after a successful week at the ITF W75 tournament in Prague.
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Aussie weekly wrap: Saville, Joint book Merida main draw berths
Daria Saville in action. Photo: Getty Images
24 February, 2025

Daria Saville and Maya Joint have found form in Mexico, while Jason Kubler has collected a title in Tasmania.
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Pro Tour: Schoolkate, Hon maintain strong 2025 form in Brisbane
Priscilla Hon and Tristan Schoolkate (Tennis Queensland)
3 February, 2025

Tristan Schoolkate and Priscilla Hon have won their first titles of the 2025 season after claiming honours at the Queensland International this week.
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Ranking Movers: Aiava, Birrell move up after Aussie summer success
Destanee Aiava (Morgan Hancock/Tennis Australia)
28 January, 2025

Destanee Aiava, Kimberly Birrell and Olivia Gadecki enjoyed rankings spikes in various categories after career-best Grand Slam runs at Australian Open 2025.
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