Destanee Aiava, a 25-year-old Australian tennis player, has decided to end her career, citing the world of tennis as her “toxic boyfriend.”
She made a strong statement, announcing on her Instagram account that she is stepping away from her career and expressing her distaste for tennis, which she referred to as her “toxic boyfriend.”
Although not the most well-known player on the circuit, Aiava was ranked 147th globally in 2017 and has won a total of 24 titles on the ITF circuit (10 in singles, 14 in doubles). In a post over the weekend, Aiava didn’t hold back. She described her conflicted feelings towards the sport, mentioning that she felt compelled to continue playing at times and struggled to find her true passion outside of tennis.
She ended her message by sending a clear message to the tennis world, expressing her frustrations with the perceived inequality and toxic culture within the sport.
While Aiava acknowledged the positive aspects that tennis brought into her life, she also highlighted the challenges it posed in terms of her relationship with her body, health, family, and self-esteem.
In conclusion, she bid farewell to her tennis career with a resolute message: “Goodbye, Destanee.”
