Two years ago, Destanee Aiava tried to take her own life.

On Easter Sunday in 2022, then aged 21, the financial pressures of life on tour while ranked well outside the top-100 as well as her own internal demons had led her to a dark place.

Thankfully, three kind strangers intervened. On Friday morning (AEST), she qualified for her first ever US Open main draw.

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Aiava beat Croatian and former US Open quarter finalist Ana Kunjuh in straight sets 6-3, 6-2. She won all three of her qualifying matches in straight sets and dropped only 15 games.

After match point, she collapsed to the ground, and then strolled to the side of the court and shared a warm embrace with fiancé Corey Gaal.

Since that Easter, Aiava has spoken candidly about her mental health battles and the struggles of fringe players on tour.

This will be her first appearance in a US Open main draw, and her first slam main draw since that night.

Having received wildcards into four Australian Opens, this is the first time the 24-year-old has played her way onto the main draw through qualifying.

“I am so excited, it’s even sweeter that I qualified and earned my way in,” she told Tennis Atlantic.

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Aiava will be joined by countrywoman Arina Rodionova, Maya Joint, Kim Birrell, Priscilla Hon, and Li Tu. Talia Gibson lost her final qualifying match to Spaniard Marina Bassols Ribera 6-3, 6-4.

Tu saved two match points in the deciding set before winning three straight games to down Dutchman Jesper de Jong 3-6, 6-1, 7-5.

It ensures this US Open will be a record-breaker in terms of Australian representation.

Twenty Australians – 12 men and eight women – are now on the singles draw. It’s the best representation of Aussie men in 45 years and best women’s representation in 35 years.

It’s also the first time in 11 years Aussies have made it through qualifying for both draws at Flushing Meadows, and the first time five Aussie women have made it through qualifying. The previous record was two in 2009 and 2014.

Fresh off winning his maiden ATP title in Montreal, Alexei Popyrin is a seed [28] at a slam for the first time, and will play Korean Soonwoo Kwon in the first round. He’s on a collision course with No.2 seed Novak Djokovic in the third round.

Alex de Minaur is the highest-seeded Aussie man [10] in 19 years, but has a tricky first round match against American world No.46 Marcos Giron. It will be de Minaur’s first singles match since withdrawing from Wimbledon with a hip injury. Should he get through that, he’ll face a qualifier in the second round.

Tu has drawn Carlos Alcaraz in the first round, while Max Purcell and Aleksandar Vukic have drawn each other.

On the women’s side, Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Saville both play qualifiers.

Aiava and Hon both have tough first round tasks, drawing No.4 seed Elena Rybakina and No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka respectively.

US OPEN FIRST ROUND AUSTRALIAN DRAWS

Men

[10] Alex de Minaur v Marcos Giron (USA)
[28] Alexei Popyrin v Soonwoo Kwon (KOR)
Jordan Thompson v Constant Lestienne (FRA)
Rinky Hijikata v Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
James Duckworth v [31] Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
Thanasi Kokkinakis v [11] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
Chris O’Connell v [26] Nicolas Jarry (CHI)
Max Purcell v Aleksandar Vukic
Adam Walton v Alexandre Muller (FRA)
[Q] Li Tu v [3] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
[WC] Tristan Schoolkate v Taro Daniel (JPN)

Women

Daria Saville v [Q] Ena Shibahara (JPN)
[Q] Arina Rodionova v Wang Xinyu (CHN)
Ajla Tomljanovic v [Q] Ann Li (USA)
[Q] Maya Joint v Laura Siegemund (GER)
[WC] Taylah Preston v [25] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
[Q] Kimberly Birrell v [24] Donna Vekic (CRO)
[Q] Destanee Aiava v [4] Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
[Q] Priscilla Hon v [2] Aryna Sabalenka

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