Destanee Aiava Rocks Vintage Styles in Australian Open Qualifiers

Destanee Aiava, the 24-year-old Australian tennis player has made a fashion statement during her Australian Open qualifying matches, adopting the mantra “Look good, feel good.” Throughout the week, Aiava has turned the Melbourne courts into her personal “fashion runway” by wearing vintage dresses inspired by tennis legends Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic. Aiava has purchased replicas of iconic outfits worn by the two former Grand Slam champions.

During her final qualifying match, Aiava wore the same pink Adidas dress Ivanovic famously donned at the 2010 US Open. She triumphed over 23rd seed Eva Lys with a 6-1 2-6 6-4 victory, securing a spot in the main draw of the Australian Open for the first time since 2021. When asked about her outfit for the first round, Aiava joked that she had already found a new dress on Facebook for just $35.

Earlier in qualifying, Aiava also wore a pink Nike dress reminiscent of Sharapova’s 2012 US Open semi-final outfit.  Aiava shared that she drew inspiration from the style of Sharapova, Ivanovic, and Serena Williams, feeling that many current designs lack appeal. Although she initially doubted the significance of her fashion choices, Aiava, who aspires to study fashion design, is excited that they’ve made an impact.

She expressed how much she enjoys the freedom of selecting her own attire, as she currently lacks a sponsor. While Destanee Aiava hopes to secure a sportswear sponsorship, she enjoys the opportunity to wear whatever she likes for now. Aiava will face Belgium’s Greet Minnen in the first round of the Melbourne major, starting on Sunday, bringing her unique fashion and competitive spirit to the main stage.