Australia\u2019s Destanee Aiava has announced her plans to retire from professional tennis in a scathing and expletive-laden statement on social media.<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old hit out at a tennis culture she said was \u201cracist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile to anyone who doesn\u2019t fit the mould\u201d, as she revealed plans to call time on her playing career at the end of 2026.<\/p>\n
Aiava questioned whether the sport was worth the sacrifice and added that \u201ctennis was my toxic boyfriend\u201d in a wide-ranging and explosive Instagram post.<\/p>\n
\u201cLife is not meant to be lived in misery and half assed,\u201d Aiava said in the statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy ultimate goal is to be able to wake up every day and genuinely say that I love what I do \u2013 which I think everyone deserves a chance at.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m 25, turning 26 this year and I feel so far behind everyone else, like I\u2019m starting from scratch. I\u2019m also scared. But that\u2019s better than living a life that\u2019s misaligned, or being around constant comparison and losing yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former junior prodigy saved her most explosive assessment for critics and online trolls who have targeted her over the years for her results, appearance and the bright outfits that she wears<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to say a ginormous fuck you to everyone in the tennis community who\u2019s ever made me feel less than,\u201d she said. \u201cFuck you to every single gambler who\u2019s sent me hate or death threats.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck you to the people who sit behind screens on social media, commenting on my body, my career, or whatever the fuck they want to nitpick. And fuck you to a sport that hides behind so-called class and gentlemanly values.<\/p>\n \u201cBehind the white outfits and traditions is a culture that\u2019s racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile to anyone who doesn\u2019t fit the mould.\u201d<\/p>\n Allow Instagram content?<\/p>\n This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click ‘Allow and continue’.<\/p>\n As a child, Aiava was inspired to play tennis while watching Serena Williams at the Australian Open. After bursting on to the scene as a teenager she climbed to a career-high singles ranking of 147 in 2017, but has failed to consistently hit those same heights and currently sits at world No 321.<\/p>\n