Destanee Aiava has shattered the whispers of a curse. Three consecutive victories at the Australian Open 2025 have ignited a firestorm of excitement, silencing the doubters who haunted her past campaigns. Her breathtaking performances on court are matched by her audacious fashion choices, a modern twist to the elegance of Maria Sharapova. Facing criticism head-on, Aiava has emerged stronger, proving her critics wrong with every powerful stroke.

Destanee Aiava is unlikely to ditch tennis anytime soon after breaking a four-year Australian Open main-draw drought. Aiava achieved this milestone with a dramatic and emotional victory in the final round of qualifying against Germany’s Eva Lys. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Aiava dominating the first set 6-1 before losing the second 2-6. Locked at 4-4 in the deciding set, Aiava showcased her fighting spirit. She unleashed powerful groundstrokes to break Lys, the 23rd seed, and then held her nerve to serve out the match, sealing the final set, 6-4.

Overwhelmed with emotion, she ran to the stands to embrace her mother, Rosie, who played rugby for the Wallaroos. A teary Aiava expressed her gratitude and joy, saying, “I’m speechless,” during her on-court interview. “I haven’t played in the main draw of an Australian Open for so long, and to qualify is even sweeter. It just means so much. Mum sacrificed so much, and I was with her every day in the pre-season working my arse off.”

Aiava’s journey to this moment has been anything but easy. Once the world’s top-ranked 14-year-old, she seemed destined for stardom. However, the past decade has been filled with challenges, including battles with mental health issues and struggles on the professional tour. Despite these setbacks, Aiava’s determination has never wavered.

Currently ranked world No. 165, Aiava has played in the Australian Open four times since 2017. However, she has yet to progress beyond the first round. Last year, she qualified for the US Open but lost in the first round to fourth seed Elena Rybakina.

Destanee Aiava turned heads at the Australian Open 2025 qualifying matches, not only with her tennis but also with her outfit. While she received online criticism for her look, she isn’t shying away from addressing them.

Destanee Aiava shines in Sharapova’s iconic dress, silences online trolls

The 24-year-old Aussie wore Maria Sharapova’s iconic liquid pink dress from the 2012 US Open, and it seemed to bring her luck. Aiava defeated the 10th seed Anna Bogdan 6-4, 6-2 in the first round, advancing to the next round in style. She then continued her fierce form, beating Panna Udvardy 6-4, 6-1 in the second round.

Sharapova’s legendary dress holds a special place in tennis history: The Russian star wore the Nike-designed dress 12 years ago, reaching the semifinals before falling to Victoria Azarenka in a tight match. Sharapova’s partnership with Nike started at the age of 11 and included a record-breaking deal worth $70 million in 2010. Though briefly suspended in 2016 after her doping ban, Nike renewed the partnership after Sharapova’s case was resolved.

While Aiava embraced Sharapova’s style, her retro look faced online criticism. Trolls targeted her physique, with one commenting, “Omg, why would she wear a dress that doesn’t suit her at all? She made a mess of the outfit with her unproportionate [sic] body, her bulges covering the dress design.” Aiava called out the hypocrisy and took her stand. She fired back with biting sarcasm: “Omg, thank you so much,” before noting: “I love how your bio says ‘personal insult and swearing reply = block’ and then you go and comment a personal insult.”

To another troll, who suggested, “Not to hate or body shame anyone but Destanee Aiave needs to lose some weight to get more quick on her feet IMO,”, Aiava boldly replied, “Shut the f*** up,” before adding: “Not to ‘hate’ or ‘body shame’ and then you went and hated and body shamed.” When the commenter apologized, Aiava gracefully accepted, saying, “Thank u for ur apology.”

Despite all the negativity around, Aiava remains focused on her game and continues to shine on the court. She hopes to deliver her best performance at the Australian Open this year, proving her critics wrong with every victory.