Destanee Aiava indicated she was retiring from tennis due to extremely hateful messages and death threats before proceeding to deactivate her X account.
On Sunday, the world No. 155 fell just short of winning the ITF Prague after Gabriela Knutson edged her out in the final 6-4 3-6 7-5.
Seemingly, the 24-year-old’s Prague final loss made some – presumably gamblers – very angry.
“I’ve made the executive decision to retire due to receiving hate msgs (misogynistic) comments and death threats after every single loss,” Aiava wrote on X.
That post itself drew some negative reactions and more insults the Australian’s way.
Destanee Aiava ogłosiła zakończenie kariery z powodu gróźb. Patrząc jednak na komentarze pod wpisem, mocno się zastanawiam czy to jej wpis, a tym bardziej odpowiedzi na komentarze. pic.twitter.com/8JSMBMphR3
— Marcin Stańczuk (@MarcinStanczuk) February 23, 2025
Now, her X account is no longer active.
Destanee Aiava X deactivated© X
Aiava probably hasn’t retired
On Instagram, the Australian tennis player posted her vlog from Prague.
Presumably, the 24-year-old just decided to ditch her X account because that’s probably where she gets the most hate.
Meanwhile, Aiava enjoyed a very solid Australian Open as a qualifier.
After qualifying for the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2021, she saved two match points in a 5-7 7-5 7-6 (5) win over Greetje Minnen before losing to Danielle Collins in the second round.
“I can sometimes get into a really bad head space and think that I was never going to win a first-round match or I wouldn’t ever qualify, as well, before I did at the (2024) US Open,” Aiava said after her thriller win over Minnen.
“But I think once I actually do those things and the belief comes with it, then just the more situations I’m in, like this, it definitely gives me more confidence.”
Tennis World USA