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Kooyong Fitzgerald Scholarship star Destanee Aiava has topped off an unbelievable year by winning the Female Junior Athlete of the Year at Tennis Australia’s Newcombe Medal awards.

Having led her country to the top four at the World Teams Championships and then being called up to the Junior Fed Cup team, Destanee has travelled all over the world and showcased her incredible fight and determination.

Earlier this year Destanee also led Kooyong’s Premier League team to an unlikely title at just 13 years of age.

Now 14, Destanee is currently in America competing in the Eddie Herr tournament where she will play American star Cici Bellis in the second round before heading to the prestigious Orangebowl to take on the world’s best 18 and under juniors.

She is currently ranked number 1 in the world in her age group and 61 in the world for players aged 18 and under and we wish her luck for the tournaments over the next two weeks!

Kooyong was well represented at the Newcombe Medal with three other members also being nominated for awards.

Omar Jasika was nominated for the Male Junior Athlete of the Year but was beaten to the award by another star of the future in Thanasi Kokkinakis.

In the award for Most Outstanding Senior 35+, Glenn Busby’s run to another world championship wasn’t quite enough to get him the award over the ACT’s Ros Balodis while Mark Shepard was a finalist in the Coaching Excellence – Club category but that award went to Craig Louis from Gunnedah in NSW.

Congratulations to all our finalists and especially to Destanee on great recognition of her outstanding year!