PredictionGame
Tournaments this week




Aiva: I am the only provider for her family

All Tennis, All the Time
Post Reply New Topic
User avatar
Ace2Ace
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts:24311
Joined:Sep Tue 14, 2004 11:49 pm
Aiva: I am the only provider for her family

Post by Ace2Ace » Nov Fri 03, 2017 4:30 pm

Australia's next tennis star Destanee Aiava has echoed controversial men's player Bernard Tomic and bluntly admitted she only plays the game for money.

Aiava burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old at the Brisbane International earlier this year when she became the first player born in the 2000s to win a WTA main draw match.

Image

Destanee Aiavain in action at the Canberra International on Thursday.

The teenager kicked-on to make her first Australian Open and after playing in all the grand slam qualifiers she has risen more than 300 places in the rankings to a career-best world No. 147.

Aiava has long been touted a rising star in the women's game and while her form is red-hot, she said spending more than 30 weeks a year on the road takes its toll.

Aiava is the only provider for her family and said after three years living out of a suitcase the sport isn't as fun anymore, admitting she only still plays for the money.

"I was one of those kids where our house was like a cabin, so I'm kind of used to that poor lifestyle and I just want that lavish lifestyle," Aiava said.

"Money is the motivation, obviously everyone wants a better lifestyle for their future and money definitely helps that a lot.

"I can't lie anymore, I'm done with that, honesty is the best policy. It's the light at the end of the tunnel and I just want it, as soon as I have enough money I'll stop playing."

Aiava said there was no shame in being honest about her motives and wanting to support her Samoan-born parents.

"I'm turning 18 next year and I want to get my own apartment so I can move out, but my parents are separated and I want to buy both of them a house as well," Aiava said.

"They've been a huge help on my career and I wouldn't be here without them, so I want to give back to them as much as possible.

"I'm motivated to supply for my family because I'm kind of the only provider right now, so there is a lot of expectations there, but yeah that's kind of why I'm still playing."

I can't lie anymore, I'm done with that ... as soon as I have enough money I'll stop playing.

Destanee Aiava
The 17-year-old is playing at the Canberra International this week, the same courts Nick Kyrgios forged his early career on, and Aiava pointed to the Australian men's No. 1 as the inspiration for her honesty.

"Nick was the first to admit that tennis isn't as people think it is and I'm just just kind of sick of hearing people say 'oh you must enjoy the travelling and you must really love the sport' because it's completely different to how you perceive it," Aiava said.

"When you're playing you have all this pressure and expectations on you from everyone and it's tough, so I just want to put it out there that it's not as rosy as it seems."

Aiava then followed Kyrgios down another path and admitted tennis was not her favourite sport, instead pointing to another round ball game.

"I love watching basketball, I can't play to save my life but since it's a team sport and they're surrounded by that team environment I find it really relaxing to watch," Aiava said.

Aiava cruised past Slovenian Tamara Zidansek in Canberra to book her place in the semi-finals on Saturday.

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/act-spor ... zce9c.html
Last edited by Ace2Ace on Nov Fri 03, 2017 4:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Ace2Ace
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts:24311
Joined:Sep Tue 14, 2004 11:49 pm

Post by Ace2Ace » Nov Fri 03, 2017 4:31 pm

Too much responsibility. The kid feels the pressure.

rex
Commish
Commish
Posts:3777
Joined:Jun Sun 04, 2006 4:25 pm

Re:Aiva: I am the only provider for her family

Post by rex » Nov Sat 04, 2017 6:27 am

A lot on her plate at age 18......

Poverty upbringing, but loves both parents now divorced. Still....wants to provide for both and put them on easy street, while finding her own independence by moving out and living on her own.

What's bad about this is her attitude to the sport. Doesn't like it and if she doesn't she'll be conflicted like Nick and, at worst, Bernard, who's a disaster. Hopefully, she won't develop their demeanor and attitude to the sport as she evolves. She definitely has the talent and weapons to be successful in tennis and not just a journeywoman.

Yet, she's just 18 and her attitude can certainly change once she has some semblance of success. Give her a chance to grow up and maybe her attitude and disposition to the sport will change. As a fan of this young talent, I and others will have to wait and see how this unfolds. However, not loving what one does is not a good beginning for success in one's profession.

Pyotr
Senior
Senior
Posts:528
Joined:Aug Tue 28, 2012 1:42 pm

Post by Pyotr » Nov Sat 04, 2017 6:07 pm

How many people in this world do jobs not because they love it, but because it pays the bills?
Why should this any different. Tennis is a means to an end for her. Provide for her family,
have financial stability for a better life(all of which tennis success could bring), and then find
what her real passion is. Sure, she may in the process come to love tennis, but for the time
being, it is what it is.

User avatar
Ace2Ace
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts:24311
Joined:Sep Tue 14, 2004 11:49 pm

Post by Ace2Ace » Nov Sat 04, 2017 8:37 pm

With her performance in the Final vs Olivia Rogowska today, I think she should just retire.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#That was so disrespectful to the people who showed up to watch this final and some of us that tuned in.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#Aiava didn't care one bit. Would not move to retrieve a ball hit away from her. If the ball doesn't come where she stands, she just watches it go by. #ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#She threw almost every return 10 miles behind the baseline.. and walked to the other side to throw the next return away. Some of the ground strokes misses were horrible. With the court wide open, she stands straight and lazily swings like she wanted to give the ball to the ball girls... No racket preparation.. No bending knees.. No setup.. Nothing.. Just stand and swing.... balls landing not even in the Doubles alley. Unbelievable.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Then she throws her racket to the other side, walked lazily to pick it up, ready to throw the next ball away... Never seen anything like it. Can't imagine what the spectators were thinking watching such behavior. Most her points were the DF and Errors from Rogowska. Aiava was just standing there, not moving her feet, not getting behind the ball, not doing anything. Once in a while, a winner will land... what a surprise? She actually hit a ball on the court?#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#I am not a fan of some pushers but they will never do such things.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Last year she was fighting with Vondrousova and Haddad Maia in some great matches. Then she basically quit tennis until the French Open. Didn't win more than 2 matches outside Australia. 90% of her points are from the Australian ITFs. When those points come off, she'll be down to the 600, 700 ranking.. What a waste!!!#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#If Rogowska never double-faulted or never gave her some free points, this would have been a 6-0 6-0 and the score would have been more than perfect. #ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Yesterday, in the SF, she was treeing left and right. The aces, service winners, killer backhands... she was unplayable. Today it was like "I don't want to be here".. Girl needs a shrink. Did she had a fight with her coach/mom before the match? #ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#After dumping the last point in the net, she threw away her racket behind her, and walked lazily to her chair. She should be fined for that IMHO. A ball girl had to pick it up and go give it to her.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Just do what Barty did. Maybe it's an Australian thing.. Go try a 9 to 5 job for the next 2 or 3 years. You might like it better. Don't bring your personal issues to the tennis court. people are showing up to watch matches, not to watch a girl act like she doesn't care. This was beyond bad. We know you are still young by this behavior is not acceptable.
Last edited by Ace2Ace on Nov Sat 04, 2017 8:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
Ace2Ace
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts:24311
Joined:Sep Tue 14, 2004 11:49 pm

Post by Ace2Ace » Nov Sun 05, 2017 12:45 am

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ho4-79QBKBg" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Post Reply