Aussie tennis star who walked away from the sport confirms her father is in critical condition

Destanee Aiava has taken to social media to confirm that her father is in critical condition in hospital and that he is currently in the ICU after being found unresponsive.

Hassan, her father is a strength and conditioning coach as well as an exercise psychologist. Albeit there have been minimal details about how it happened as she just said on her social media that it was head trauma including a brain bleed and a skull fracture.

She has also linked her GoFundMe page as she aims to raise $30,000 in order to continue the hospital care and rehabilitation while he cannot work.

"Two nights ago, my dad was found unresponsive and rushed to the hospital after suffering a serious medical emergency. He had significant head trauma, including a brain bleed and skull fracture, and underwent emergency surgery overnight to relieve the pressure on his brain," wrote Aiava on Instagram.

"He is currently in the ICU in critical condition and remains unresponsive. At this stage, doctors are closely monitoring him and taking each day as it comes, but the situation is still very serious. We are facing an unknown road ahead with his recovery. This will likely include ongoing hospital care, rehabilitation, and time away from work while he recovers. Any support during this time would mean more than we can put into words. Thank you to everyone for your kindness, support, and for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers. The link is in my bio/story to donate and share around."

She also added on her Instagram story with another link to the GoFundMe. "Seeing a parent in this situation is so traumatic. Especially when you're so used to them being healthy and fit. The last few days have been extremely overwhelming, but seeing his friends and family show up for him has been amazing. Please keep Mark/Hassan in your prayers."

Aiava who reached a career high of 147 made waves at her home Australian Open but soon decided to retire from the sport citing a culture of in her mind racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile tour that has forced her to walk away.

She also cited hate and death threats, and that it would be her final year on the tour as a result, earlier this year. But of course, now, given the current situation she finds herself in, tennis is very much not on her mind as she deals with a traumatic incident.

The news regarding Hassan Aiava’s critical condition has cast a somber shadow over the Australian tennis community. As the primary strength coach for his daughter, Hassan was a fixture on the circuit, known for his dedication to Destanee’s physical and mental conditioning. This medical emergency occurs at a time when Aiava was already navigating a complex relationship with the sport, having recently signaled her departure due to the 'homophobic and hostile' environment she encountered on tour.

The outpouring of support on social media highlights the deep respect the family commands in Melbourne and beyond. For Destanee, the focus has shifted entirely from the baseline to the bedside, as she navigates an 'unknown road ahead' that involves not just the recovery of a coach, but the survival of a parent. The $30,000 GoFundMe goal serves as a practical lifeline for a family whose lives have been upended in a matter of 48 hours.