Destanee Aiava calls tennis her ‘toxic friend’ and can’t wait to end her career | Tennis blog for women

Destane Aiava is only 25 years old, yet she has already announced that the The 2026 season will be her last on tour. In a shocking and very personal Instagram statementthe Australian player laid bare her complicated relationship with the sport, explaining what she absolutely hates about professional tennis and why she’s ready to walk away.

‘Tennis was my toxic boyfriend’ Aiava wrote after explaining the reasons she stayed as long as she did. At times she felt obligated to the people who had supported her throughout her career. Other times, she admitted she was afraid to start over, wasn’t sure who she was without tennis, or simply continued out of boredom rather than passion.

While Aiava acknowledged that the sport gave her meaningful friendships and the opportunity to travel to beautiful places around the world, she was equally clear about the costs. Tennis, she said, cost much more than it earnedas she listed what she had lost along the way: “My relationship with my body. My health. My family. My self-esteem.”

The most striking and uncompromising part of her statement was aimed at critics, gamblers and the wider tennis culture itself:

“I want to say a huge f-k-you to anyone in the tennis community who has ever made me feel less than. Thank you for every gambler who has sent me hate or death threats. Fk you to the people who sit behind screens on social media and comment on my body, my career or whatever else they want to nitpick about. And fk you to a sport that hides behind so-called class and friendly values. Behind the white outfits and traditions lies a culture that is racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile to anyone who doesn’t fit the mold.“

Aiava says she is looking ahead to the next phase of her life, one that she hopes will be authentic and “guided by purpose, creativity and passion.” Still, she admits that the transition will not be easy. She feels behind her generation and knows she will have to start all over again. However, she is willing to face her fears, rather than continuing to live a life that is out of alignment and not true to herself.

The last tournament Aiava played was qualifying for the 2026 Australian Open, where she fell in the opening round. Her career-high singles ranking was number 147 in 2017.