Tennis player’s scathing statement goes viral
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Australian female tennis player Destanee Aiava made a harsh statement about sports in her social media account on Saturday, announcing that the 2026 season will be her last.
Aiava, 25, described tennis as her “toxic boyfriend” in a statement posted on Instagram. He complained about being too young when he started, and his breakthrough came when he was only 17.
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Destanee Aiava during her match against Danielle Collins at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 16, 2025. (Mike Frey/Imagn Images)
He wrote that tennis brought him some of his best friends and that he was able to travel to places he had only dreamed of. But she said the sport “took something away from me,” including her relationship with her body, her family and her self-worth.
His statement continued: “I want to say a huge f— to everyone in the tennis community who makes me feel less than.” “F— to all the gamblers who send me hate or death threats. F— to the people who sit behind screens on social media, commenting on my body, my career, or whatever they want to find fault with. And f— you to a sport that hides behind so-called values of class and sportsmanship. Behind the white clothes and traditions is a racist, misogynist, homophobic and hostile culture to anyone who doesn’t fit its mould.”
Destanee Aiava reacts after winning a set against Greet Minnen at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto on August 5, 2024. (Dan Hamilton/USA Today Sports)
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“Life doesn’t have to be lived in misery or half-baked. My ultimate goal is to wake up every day and be able to say that I truly love what I do; I think everyone deserves that chance. I’m 25, turning 26 this year, and I feel so far behind everyone, like I’m starting from scratch. I’m scared too. But it’s better than living a life of misfits or losing yourself in constant comparisons.”
Aiava then thanked those who supported her career.
Destanee Aiava serves the ball to Jasmine Paolini during the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 24, 2025. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
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The player, who has 10 International Tennis Federation championships on his resume, has a score of 269-178 in singles. In Grand Slam events, he has failed to advance further than the second round at the 2025 Australian Open.
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