WTA Ace Destanee Aiava Says ‘F**k You to Everyone’ in Retirement Announcement Post: “Tennis Was My Toxic Boyfriend”

Destanee Aiava slammed the gamblers and tennis' 'racist' culture in her retirement post.

WTA Ace Destanee Aiava Says ‘F**k You to Everyone’ in Retirement Announcement Post: “Tennis Was My Toxic Boyfriend”

Destanee Aiava (Image via X/Jimmy48 Photography)

In Short
  • Destanee Aiava announced her retirement from tennis, describing the sport as her "toxic boyfriend."
  • She expressed frustration with the tennis community, criticizing its culture as racist and misogynistic.
  • Aiava aims to find purpose and creativity in her next chapter after a challenging career.

In an expletive-laden Instagram post, WTA ace Destanee Aiava announced that she will be hanging up her racket after this season. The Australian ace slammed everyone who made her feel miserable, calling tennis her “toxic boyfriend“.

This means the 25-year-old played her career’s final match in the home Grand Slam, the Australian Open. She has yet to play another match since her defeat to Harriet Dart in the qualifier of the Melbourne Slam. Aiava also played doubles alongside Maddison Inglis, but the home favorite lost in the first round against the pair of Aldila Sutjiadi and Giuliana Olmos.

On February 14th, Aiava took to her Instagram to announce her retirement. Aiava first talked about her all-consuming relationship with tennis that started in her late teens when she was “naive“, and it led to her “trusting wrong people.” The reason she kept playing was because of the people who helped her throughout her career.

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.

Destanee Aiava wrote

But Aiava is also grateful for all the good things tennis has given her. And the things that tennis took away from her were her relationship with her body, health, her family, and self-worth. Aiava was not done yet. She called tennis a hypocrite that hides behind “so called class and gentlemanly values,” calling out tennis culture, which is “racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and hostile” to those who don’t fit its mold.

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.

Destanee Aiava added

Aiava, who reached a career-high ranking of 147, currently sits in the 321st position. It was Aiava whom Danielle Collins knocked out last year in the second round of the Australian Open and produced an infamous celebration.

Destanee Aiava is ready to begin again

Destanee Aiava then thanked those who supported her throughout her career without trying to change who she is as a person. Aiava is also proud to represent the Pacific Islander community on the international stage and is hopeful that the next chapter of her life is filled with “purpose, creativity, and passion“.

Destanee Aiava
Destanee Aiava (Image via X/Tony)

Life is not meant to be lived in misery or half a**ed. My ultimate goal is to be able to wake up everyday and genuinely say I love what I do — which I think everyone deserves the chance at. I’m 25, turning 25 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 thats misaligned, or being around constant comparison and losing yourself.

Destanee Aiava wrote

Check out her post here:

Aiava has yet to lift a title in both singles and doubles. In doubles, she reached a career-high ranking of 133 and currently sits in the 258th spot.

Apart from the Australian Open, she also participated in the Canberra Open, where Polina Iatcenko knocked her out in the opening round. She also played doubles with Gabriella Da Silva Fick, but the Aussie pair lost their opening match to Liang En-shuo and Eudice Chong.

Also read: Novak Djokovic Drops Cultural Bombshell After Controversial Move Out of Serbia: “I Feel Greek”