Personal

Coached by Nicole Kriz
Father, Mark was born in New Zealand to Samoan parents and coaches mixed martial arts; mother, Rosie is a former rugby player and kickboxer who was born in American Samoa
Nickname is ‘Des’
Played soccer when she was younger but was inspired to play tennis after watching Serena Williams play on TV
Tennis hero is Roger Federer

Career Highlights

ADDITIONAL
Australian Fed Cup Team, 2018.

Career in Review

At Tour-level in 2024, qualified for US Open for the first time, falling to No.4 seed Rybakina in the first round. Closed out the season with ITF titles on home turf at W35 Cairns and W50 Brisbane.

Competed in her eighth Australian Open in 2023, falling in 2r of qualifying (l. Hartono) and closed out the season with a W60 win in Sydney taking her year-end ranking back into Top 200.

Continued on ITF circuit in 2022, claiming title at Traralgon W25. At Tour level reached main draw at Melbourne 1 (as qualifier, l. Halep).

Was in good form prior to tennis' hiatus in March 2020, opening the season by reaching two finals and one SF on ITF Circuit. At Tour level, fell in qualifying at Brisbane and Australian Open

Registered first Top 10 win of her career over No.10 Sabalenka during 2r showing at 2019 's-Hertogenbosch (l. Kudermetova)

Made Fed Cup debut in 4-1 World Group play-off win over Netherlands in 2018, winning doubles rubber with Gavrilova. Described debut as ‘best moment of career’

Posted 32 wins in 2017 (mainly on ITF Circuit), and posted a career-high ranking of No.147 on September 11 of that year

Reached 2r on WTA main draw debut at 2017 Brisbane (as qualifier, l. Kuznetsova); win over Mattek-Sands in 1r at Brisbane saw her become the first player born in the 2000s to win a WTA main draw match

Upset No.87 Witthoeft in qualifying at Brisbane – the first time she had faced a player ranked inside the Top 100

Fell 1r on Grand Slam main draw debut at 2018 Australian Open (as WC, l. Barthel in 1r); awarded wildcard after winning the 2016 U18 Australian Championships, thus becoming the first player, male or female, born 2000 or later to participate in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament

Won her first two ITF Circuit titles of career in 2017, at $25k ITF/Perth-AUS and $25k ITF/Mornington-AUS

Contested qualifying at two tour-level events in 2016, at Hobart and Australian Open, falling at first hurdle both times

On ITF Circuit, reached first two singles finals in 2016, at $25k ITF/Canberra-AUS (l. Hozumi) and $25k ITF/Tweed Heads-AUS (l. Cabrera)

Played first events of career on ITF Circuit in Tasmania in January 2015