Australian teen makes women's tennis history

BRISBANE - Australian teenager Destanee Aiava created a slice of history on Tuesday (Jan 3) when she became the first player born in the 2000s to win a main draw match on the WTA Tour.

The 16-year-old beat fellow qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Brisbane International in a rain-delayed match. At 31, Mattek-Sands is 15 years older than Aiava.

After play was halted on Monday night (Jan 2) with Aiava leading 3-0 and 40-15 in the third set, the young Australian, who has a hulking frame and booming serve, overcame nerves and a Mattek-Sands fightback to move into a second-round clash against veteran Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Aiava will create further history at the Australian Open later this month when she becomes the first player born in the 2000s to play in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament after receiving a wildcard entry.

Born in Australia to Samoan parents, Aiava began playing the sport at the age of five after watching Serena Williams in the Australian Open.

"I think it was just her vibe," she said of Serena.

"Like, I couldn't feel it from the other side of the TV, but it was just, like, her energy, and that kind of drew me to the sport."

Aiava's powerful physique has drawn comparisons with Serena, and the teenager admitted that she has based her game on the American superstar. "Not so much a girl's game - more a guy's game," she said. "More variety."

Aiava said that nerves had got the better of her at the start of the match, played on Showcourt One in front of full stands. "I was pretty nervous playing in front of that many people. I have never played in front of such a big crowd before," she said.

"I think the first set of the match I started off pretty bad. I think coming out, onto the court, I need to work on not being so tight and feeling the pressure.

"But as the match progressed, I felt a little bit more relaxed."

Aiava had already brushed shoulders with some stars of tennis. In 2012, she won the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament in Paris and her prize was an opportunity to hit with 22-time Grand Slam winner Steffi Graf.
 
Still, the Melbourne high school senior has had to come to terms with meeting star players in the locker room for the main draw, which is far different to the qualifying tournaments.
 
"Pretty crazy. I walk in, and there is people I have watched on TV before and it's, like, Oh!''
 
Aiava's mother, Rosie, is a self-taught tennis coach and has been guiding her daughter since she showed interest in the game at age 5. Her father, Mark, is a power lifter who handles her strength and conditioning training. They both keep her teenage daughter grounded.
 
For instance, Aiava was asked what words of wisdom her mother imparted after the historic win. "She just said, 'good job,' and took me to the practice court,'' Aiava said. She spent the following 20 minutes working on her serve and "just getting some rhythm back into my hitting again.''
 
Aiava knows she's attracting wider attention than ever now, particularly with a first name tailor-made for headline writers, but said she's trying to keep her preparations tight for the Australian Open. For the record, she said she prefers to be known by the abbreviated name, Des.
 
"As long as I have a small circle of people that help me to stay grounded,'' she said.'' AGENCIES