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Australian tennis player Destanee Aiava has announced her retirement in a wide-ranging Instagram post where she questioned whether the sport was worth the sacrifice and slammed a culture that’s “racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile to anyone who doesn’t fit the mould”.
The 25-year-old Melburnian confirmed 2026 would be her final year playing professional tennis, and said she would rather start from scratch than constantly be compared to others.
Australian tennis player Destanee Aiava has announced her retirement at the end of 2026.Credit: Simon Schluter
“My life is not meant to be lived in misery and half-assed. My ultimate goal is to be able to wake up every day and genuinely say that I love what I do – which I think everyone deserves a chance at,” Aiava said.
“I’m 25, turning 26 this year and I feel so far behind everyone else, like I’m starting from scratch. I’m also scared. But that’s better than living a life that’s misaligned, or being around constant comparison and losing yourself.”
Aiava, who reached a career-high singles ranking of world No.133, also hit out at online trolls who have criticised her and sent her abusive messages, and labelled tennis a sport that hides behind a gentlemanly facade.
“I want to say a ginormous f–k you to everyone in the tennis community who’s ever made me feel less than. F–k you to every single gambler who’s sent me hate or death threats.
“F–k you to the people who sit behind screens on social media, commenting on my body, my career, or whatever the f–k they want to nitpick. And f–k you to a sport that hides behind so-called class and gentlemanly values.
“Behind the white outfits and traditions is a culture that’s racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile to anyone who doesn’t fit the mould.”
The former junior prodigy said she was grateful for her opportunity to travel the world, the friends that she had made, and the platform that came with being a professional athlete.
However, she conceded the toll of the sport outweighed the benefits of continuing life on tour.
“It also took things from me. My relationship with my body. My health. My family. My self-worth,” she said.
“Would I do it all again? I really don’t know, but one thing this sport taught me is that there is always a chance to start fresh.”
Destanee Aiava at the 2025 Australian Open.Credit: Christopher Hopkins
Aiava said there were many factors that contributed to her carrying on this long.
“Sometimes I kept playing because I felt like I owed it to not only myself but to everyone who had helped me throughout my career, to try and get back to where (on paper) I belonged,” she said.
“Other times I kept going because I was too scared to start again. Or I was bored. I also didn’t know who I was outside of tennis and what my true passion was. I was constantly looking for that thing that gave me peace instead of grief. In other words tennis was my toxic boyfriend.”
Australian tennis player Destanne Aiava.Credit: g
However, Aiava said she ultimately couldn’t, and didn’t want to, carry on with professional tennis anymore, but that she had been proud to represent the Islander community on an international stage and make “history for our people”.
Aiava’s said she was looking forward to her next chapter, even if she isn’t quite sure what that is.
“I don’t know what this year will look like or where tennis fits into it. What I do know is that this chapter will end on my terms,” she said.
“And I am truly grateful for the people who’ve supported me without trying to change who I am. ”
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