STAR-IN-THE-MAKING : Samoan-Australian tennis player, Destanee Aiava, takes Samoan and Pacific Island to a star level in the international sporting scene. Photo ABC Sports
By Staff Writer
A Samoan- Australian female tennis player is turning heads as a rapidly emerging young star with recent international tournament successes.
Australian sports media are calling Destanee Aiava a tennis player with an already growing army of fans.
The Melbourne-based player won her first grand slam last week when she defeated Belgian Greet Minnen.
The win makes the 24 year old the first Samoan and Pacific heritage player to win in a grand slam event, according to media reports.
Aiava went on this week to compete in the Australian Open where she was unsuccessful in a gritty second-round match loss to American Danielle Collins.
Aiava lost the first set before winning in the second before the world number 11 ranked American rallied to win the third set against the crowd favourite.
The emerging tennis star is ranked 10 in Australia and 177 in the World Tennis Association./