Three years ago, Australian tennis star Destanee Aiava had to be dissuaded from jumping off a bridge. Now he's on top of the world at the Australian Open

Australian tennis star Destanee Aiava has come back from the brink of suicide just three years ago to record her first Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open.

Aiava advanced with her first win at Melbourne Park at her sixth attempt, beating Belgian Greet Minnen 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (10-5) on Monday night.

The 24-year-old trailed 5-2 in the second set, but recovered and reeled off five straight games, saving two match points, to send the match into a decider.

“I am very happy to have overcome and finally win a first round singles at a Grand Slam, especially at my home Slam,” she said.

'It was really nice and special. The crowd helped me.'

The impressive feat is even more special for those who know how close Aiava came to ending her life almost three years ago.

Tennis star Destanee Aiava advanced to the second round at Melbourne Park on Monday night.

Just three years ago, Aiava was saved from suicide by a trio of strangers who refused to leave her on the bridge and comforted her as they took her back home.

“On Easter Sunday night (April 17) I was going to jump off a bridge onto the M1, 3 people passed by, pulled me off the rails and took me home,” he wrote in an Instagram post in 2022.

“I didn't want to make it to my 22nd birthday, but I know my family and friends would be happy to know that I'm alive on this day that should be special.

'Sometimes the people you come across in life can make you feel unlovable, but at the end of the day I have learned: “God is faithful and will not allow you to be tested beyond your strength, but will He also will give you a way out with your trial, so that you can endure it.”

Aiava is now in a much better place thanks to the support of family and friends, and the incredible intervention of three strangers who helped her get off the bridge in Melbourne.

Speaking after her win on Monday, Aiava said confidence has sometimes been an issue in the past.

“Sometimes I can feel really bad and think that I was never going to win a first-round match or that I would never qualify, before I did it at the US Open (in 2024),” he said.

“But once I do those things and the belief comes with it, the more situations like this I encounter, it definitely gives me more confidence.”

With her first round win, Aiava is guaranteed to pocket $200,000, and she could take home much more if she beats American Danielle Collins in her next outing.

Aiava is guaranteed to win $200,000 after her victory, and could win much more if she beats American Danielle Collins in her next outing.

“This means I can bring someone to travel with this year and I can afford to go to as many tournaments as I want,” he said.

'It really helps. Economically, tennis is very expensive. It's hard for me to travel alone. “Being able to take my fiancé with me and hopefully some family members to the big events makes a big difference.”

The Australian says trying to ignore social media has been good for her mental health, but admits it's hard to give up completely.

'At the moment I'm doing well. I try not to use the phone as much as possible and I'm used to it now because I had a lot of it when I was little. I'm older now. I can cope much better. I have people around me to keep me in check.

'If you see me on my phone too, I feel like the only negative things I see are other people's comments, it's not so much the articles that are bad. Maybe some titles are a bit click bait.

'I don't think there's much the media can do better. It's your job. It's just that average people are shitty about people.

“Everyone who came to watch and shouted and supported, I feel like they are less inclined to give a bad comment. I feel like they wouldn't have sat there the whole time watching if they didn't have positive feelings towards any of the players.

'It's just the people who sit behind their phones and have nothing better to do who are sad and unhappy with their lives. I try not to look into it too much, but I like to scold them.