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Former teen prodigy Destanee Aiava has emerged from the dark days to rediscover her love for tennis and make the Australian Open second round for a first time.
The dark days behind her, Destanee Aiava hopes this is just the start after at last claiming her maiden grand slam win.
Eight long years after making her major debut amid much fuss and fanfare, Aiava is finally through to the second round of the Australian Open following a stirring three-set comeback victory over Greet Minnen.
Few could have predicted back in 2017 - when the junior prodigy became the first player born in the 21st century to compete at a slam - that it would take Aiava almost a decade to notch a major match win.
Now that she has, the 24-year-old qualifier is savouring the moment.
"Just to get that first win out the way this year is really great. I hope to keep it going," Aiava said after setting up a second-round showdown on Wednesday with 10th seed Danielle Collins.
"I don't know if I've broken through yet. I just am trying to keep the momentum going from my quallies matches."
Aiava's battles with mental health have been well documented and the precocious talent is pleased to report she's emerged stronger and happier with a glass half-full approach to life and tennis.
"I had to really step back and appreciate things that tennis has given me and not look at it as something so negative," Aiava said.
"It's really hard because you're losing so many times in tennis more than you win so I can get into a really negative head space.
"Just looking back each week, just feeling a lot of gratitude for everything that tennis has given me.
"I'm here playing my favourite grand slam, in the second round. I can only be thankful and grateful that I get to do this as a job.
"I'm not turning up to do something that I hate, even though I do hate it sometimes.
"Just thinking of all the positives that tennis has, it's helped."
Aiava's watershed win, from a set and 5-2 down, means much more than a rankings boost that will vault her back into the world's top 150 at least and closer to grand slam direct entry.
She will leave Melbourne Park with a minimum $200,000 following three qualifying wins and at least a first-round main-draw victory.
"It means that I can bring someone to travel with this year, and I can afford to actually go to all the tournaments that I want to," Aiava said.
"Financially tennis is so expensive.
"I struggle travelling on my own. The fact that I get to bring my fiancé with me and hopefully one of my family members to the big ones, it makes a world of a difference."
Win or lose against Collins, the classy American who lost the 2022 Open final to Ash Barty, Aiava is back embracing the home support and playing with a purpose again.
"Nowadays, I enjoy it. I used to feel a lot of pressure and expectations," said the Samoan Australian trailblazer.
"But now I feel maybe it's 'cause I'm older now and I've dealt with these kinds of situations a lot more. I'm able to handle it a lot better."
AUSSIES IN ACTION ON DAY FOUR OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN ON WEDNESDAY:-
Women's singles, second round
Ajla Tomljanovic v 12-Diana Shnaider (RUS)
Talia Gibson v 11-Paula Badosa (ESP)
Men's singles, second round
Thanasi Kokkinakis v 15-Jack Draper (GBR)
Aleksandar Vukic v 22-Sebastian Korda (USA)
27-Jordan Thompson v Nuno Borges (POR)
James Duckworth v Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)
