Destanee Aiava stuns Australian Open with first career-win and iconic fashion throwbacks

Australian Destanee Aiava is making her mark this week at her home tennis Grand Slam in Melbourne.

The 24-year-old fought her way out of the qualifiers to earn a spot in the main draw of the Australian Open, buoying her confidence.

Though Aiava is no stranger to the Aussie Open – she made her debut at the event at age 16 in 2017 – she had never made it past the first round until this week. On Monday (13 January), the No. 195-ranked player in the world pushed through Belgium’s Greet Minnen, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6.

Her win is her first in five first-round appearances at the Slam, a life-changing moment for the player who had said she would move on from professional play if she couldn’t break into the top 100 this season and who could not afford to bring her fiancé on tour with her.

Aiava’s qualification and first-round victory have also turned heads, as she donned vintage dresses made famous by tennis greats, including a light pink number that Maria Sharapova wore en route to the 2012 U.S. Open semifinals.

"I just loved what they wore," Aiava, who wants to pursue fashion design, said of her dresses that harkened back to some of the sport’s greats, according to BBC Sport. "I think some of the stuff that is being designed is quite ugly. I just like to wear what I think looks good. I don't like wearing the same thing as everyone else."

"I didn't really think it would make any impact at all, me wearing the dresses. But I'm glad I did. Yeah, it's been fun bringing them back," she continued. "I think even if you lose, it's still kind of a fashion runway when you're on the court.

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