Aussie tennis star Destanee Aiava has appeared to accuse fans of racism for mistaking her for four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open. The year-old former junior prodigy from Melbourne has become one of the great stories from the tournament this year after she achieved her first Grand Slam win on Monday night.
Aiava advanced with her first win at Melbourne Park on her sixth attempt, beating Belgium's Greet Minnen She trailed in the second set but rallied and rattled off five straight games, saving two match points, to send the match to a decider. Social media has lit up with posts about the local talent - with more than a few fans admitting to mistaking her for tennis champion Naomi Osaka.
Aiava - who is of Samoan descent - took to X on Tuesday night to comment on the matter, writing: 'why are people commenting and mistaking me for Naomi Osaka i love her don't come for me like i'm genuinely confused why multiple people are getting me mixed up with her???????????
A few of Aiava's followers thought she had more than a passing resemblance to the Japanese star. Fans mistaking Aiava for Osaka - who is of Japanese and Haitian descent - recalls complaints from stars like African-American player Taylor Townsend, who said she had been confused with 'all' other black women on the tour in The Aussie wildcard entrant went online to voice her confusion after tennis fans mixed her up with the two-time Australian Open champion.
Aiva's second-round opponent is tough American 10th seed Danielle Collins, who was beaten by Ash Barty in the final. The crowd got me through. I felt it from the very first point.
