A first for Destanee but not the last

MELBOURNE: Australian teen

Destanee Aiava

carved out a unique statistic for herself when she became the first player born in the new millennium to play in a Grand Slam match at the Australian Open on Monday.

The 16-year-old wildcard had won her first WTA match in the Brisbane International last week, but the venture at the Show Court 2 of the Melbourne Park didn't prove to be as successful. But it was less about the outcome than the occasion. “This isn't the first and the last time I'm going to be here. There's plenty more to come,” Aiava confidently said after her 3-6, 6-7 (4) loss to Mona Barthel of Germany.

Her mother Rosie - with an AmericanSamoan ancestral roots - doubles up as her coach. Nothing unusual except for the fact that she has dabbled in rugby and soccer but never played

tennis

. Aiava doesn't see any disadvantage. “She understands me as a person“.

Another teen who made it a memorable opening day for the hosts was Alex de Minaur, whose mother is Spanish and father Uruguayan. The 17-year-old, mentored by

Lleyton Hewitt

, took cue from his idol's never-say-die spirit in clinching a 5-7, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, 6-1 win over

Gerald Melzer

after saving a match-point in the fourth set.