Who Is Destanee Aiava’s Tennis-Playing Husband, Corey Gaal? All You Need to Know About Their Love Story and Marriage

Not too long ago, Destanee Aiava revealed a deeply vulnerable part of her life, revealing she once felt “unworthy of being loved” and didn’t wish to see her 22nd birthday. Fast forward to now, and Aiava has not only conquered those dark days, but also found joy in her personal and professional life. And what can be better if both sides of your life intertwine to give you an upper hand? Well, that’s the reality the 24-year-old is facing…

The Australian player is now happily married to the love of her life, Corey Gaal, and she’s thriving on the tennis courts as well. Recently, Aiava made headlines by qualifying for the main draw of a Grand Slam event for only the second time in her career. But what makes this journey even more special? The unwavering support of her husband she receives off the ground. The Aussie tennis star is currently enjoying her remarkable Australian Open campaign. She has qualified for the second round of the tournament, her best record so far in a Grand Slam, and will face American sensation Daniel Collins on Thursday.

And as she gears up for the match, Gaal will reportedly double down to be her coach on tour. Gaal himself was a tennis player and played at the junior level. The 26-year-old played his last appearance on the court at M25 Darwin in 2023, per ATP Tour’s official website, and is now enjoying her coaching tenure with her wife. But notably, their personal relationship is much older than their professional endeavor together.

Aiava and Gaal started dating in 2017 and have been together since then. They took their relationship to the next level last year and got engaged on February 11. Sharing her joy back then, Aiava took to her Instagram and wrote, “my favourite place has become even more special, wow. still hasn’t sunk in.” Interestingly, the couple did not slow down their romantic journey and tied the knot in December. 

In a picture shared by the Australian WTA Star, she was seen in a gorgeous white gown kissing her husband. “no matter what anyone says about this guy, it’ll always be us against the world 🫧💗 #7yrs,” she captioned the post. But besides the romantic bond, the couple is also the biggest pillar of strength to each other and Aiava does not shy away from revealing the same.

 When Gaal started accompanying Aiava, it came as a major confidence booster for the star player. “It helped a lot having Corey around” Aiava shared in 2023. “I don’t think I necessarily need a coach but I just need someone to support me and help take my mind off tennis. I try not to stress too much about game plans,” she added. And this adorable relationship did not take a backseat even after she qualified for the Australian Open this year. 

Crediting Corey for helping her through the ups and downs of her life, including in her battle with mental health, she said, “He’s been a great help and stuck by me through a lot of things,” she said. “It’s so hard to be with someone who has BPD. I always have my bad days and bad tournaments, and I always want to quit whenever I lose, but I feel better after I’ve eaten a cookie or something.” And guess what? This love is definitely not one-sided. 

When Aiava qualified for the Australian Open, Gaal beamed with pride and said, “It’s been a long journey, and she’ll be nothing but happy after that. She’s had if not the toughest, one of the toughest, of all 128 players in qualifying, and to be one of the 16 who qualify is an awesome feeling.”

And now, as Aiava gears up for her second match at the “Happy Slam” she is aspiring nothing else but to remain positive. 

Destanee Aiava radiates positivity at the Australian Open

Destanee Aiava has already 4 matches at the Australian Open this year if those at the qualifiers are counted. Despite struggling at times, she managed to remain stoic and calmly climbed the ladders. And now, even though she is gearing up for a tough match-up against Collins, she is not letting pressure take center stage and wishes to remain positive throughout. 

Speaking about her match, she said, “I don’t know if I’ve broken through yet. I just am trying to keep the momentum going from my quallies matches.” Continuing further, she added, “I had to really step back and appreciate things that tennis has given me and not look at it as something so negative. I’m here playing my favourite grand slam, in the second round. I can only be thankful and grateful that I get to do this as a job.” She further shared that although the sport takes a toll on her at times, she just wishes to keep going.

 “I’m not turning up to do something that I hate, even though I do hate it sometimes. Just thinking of all the positives that tennis has, it’s helped,” Aiava added. Now, as the tournament unfolds, it would be interesting to see how love and skills amalgamate for her. Will it help Destanee Aiava amass more accolades at the Australian Open? That remains to be seen.