25-year-old Australian tennis player Destanee Aiava announced her retirement from professional tennis because of the sport is "sexist, racist and homophobic", explaining her decision on a long post shared on Instagram, where she said that, after having her big breakthrough at the age of 17, she sometimes played because she felt "she owed it not only to herself but to everyone who had helped me throughout my career, to try and get back where (on paper) I belonged".
She likened tennis to a "toxic boyfriend" who never allowed her to realise who she was outside of tennis or find out her true passions. "I want to say a ginormous fuck you to everyone in the tennis community who's ever made me feel less than.
"Fuck you to every single gambler who's sent me hate or death threats. Fuck 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.
"Behind the white outfits and traditions is a culture that's racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile to anyone who doesn't fit the mould."
Aiava became the first player, male or female, born in 2000 or later to participate in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament, receiving a wild card at the Australian Open 2017. She went on to reach World No. 147 in September 2017, but never really fulfilled the expectations set on her, with all of her singles and doubles titles coming from the ITF Women's World Tennis Tour.
"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. From now on, her next phase of her life will be "one led by purpose, creativity and passion".