Tennis 'racist, misogynistic, homophobic', says Aiava

Destanee Aiava lost to Britain's Harriet Dart in Australian Open qualifying last month

Destanee Aiava has announced her retirement from tennis at 25, saying it had a "racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile" culture.

The Australian, who has Samoan heritage, said the sport was like a "toxic boyfriend" - and that this would be her final season on tour.

Aiava, who reached a career-high singles ranking of 147, posted an expletive-laden statement on Instagram to explain her decision.

"My ultimate goal is to be able to wake up every day and genuinely say that I love what I do - which I think everyone deserves a chance at," she said.

She also told of how she had faced abuse from online trolls - an issue which has affected several players in the game.

British player Katie Boulter shared some of the abuse she had received with BBC Sport last year to help highlight the scale of the problem.

Figures from data science firm Signify, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Women's Tennis Association (WTA) show that in 2024, about 8,000 abusive, violent or threatening messages were sent publicly to 458 tennis players through their social media accounts, with many stemming from betting.

Aiava cited the "hate or death threats" and commentary on "my body, my career, or whatever they want to nitpick".

She went on to criticise "a sport that hides behind so-called class and gentlemanly values".

"Behind the white outfits and traditions is a culture that's racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile to anyone who doesn't fit the mould," added Aiava.

She also said she was grateful for the opportunity to travel the world and make friends but admitted: "It also took things from me. My relationship with my body. My health. My family. My self-worth.

"Would I do it all again? I really don't know, but one thing this sport taught me is that there is always a chance to start fresh."

Tennis officials have not yet commented on Aiava's post.