Samoan-Australian tennis star Destanee Aiava has called out “disgusting” and “disrespectful” online abuse after being targeted by trolls following a heartbreaking loss in Australian Open qualifying.

The 25-year-old was left visibly emotional after going down to England’s Harriet Dart in three sets — 3–6, 6–2, 3–6 — in the opening round of qualifying at the 2026 Australian Open.

As she left the arena, Aiava struggled to contain her disappointment following the tightly contested match.

Later, she shared a series of photos on Instagram accompanied by a heartbreak emoji. While many fans responded with messages of support and encouragement, the post also attracted cruel and abusive comments targeting her appearance and tennis ability.

Aiava reposted one of the comments to her Instagram Story, condemning the behaviour and writing.

“This is a prime example of what happens when you don’t parent your kids properly. They turn out stupid and evil.”

In a video message posted soon after, Aiava directly addressed the abuse, describing it as outright bullying rather than criticism.

“Commenting on someone’s social media saying you’re a big back, you can’t play tennis, you’re fat — yada, yada, yada — that’s just straight-up bullying,” she said.

“It is disgusting, disrespectful, and I genuinely don’t know why people like this waste their time and energy on athletes who are literally just trying their f***ing best.”

Aiava’s response has drawn widespread support from fans and fellow athletes, with many praising her for speaking openly about online abuse and highlighting the impact such comments can have on players’ mental health.

Despite her early singles exit, Aiava remains part of the Australian Open draw and is set to compete in the women’s doubles tournament.