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Opinion
If this year’s Australian Open is any indication, the future of tennis in this country is looking bright and full of potential.
First and foremost, Ashleigh Barty’s 6-3 7-6(2) victory over Danielle Collins marks her first Australian Open triumph.
Barty averaged a little over an hour on court, winning all her matches in straight sets. Collins came the closest – after Barty took the first set, she trailed to the American 1-5 before bringing it back to (and winning in) a tiebreak.
The title was a special moment for Barty, with Evonne Goolagong Cawley presenting her with the trophy. Her victory at Melbourne Park adds to her previous French Open and Wimbledon triumphs, meaning she only needs a US Open to earn a career grand slam collection.
Ash has gone to another level over the past 12 months, comfortably solidifying her status as the world No.1. Mentally, she looks more resilient than any other player on the WTA tour. Her shot selection is excellent, her serving is precise and deadly (surprising for a short-statured player), and her specialty backhand slice is probably the best in the game right now across the whole professional tennis circuit.
And what’s scary is that she’s still only 25 years old, which means she can continue to dominate for a long time to come.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Australia’s top-ranked male player Alex de Minaur came in as the 32nd seed and made it to the fourth round, a new personal best at the Australian Open. The Demon looked back to full fitness and showcased his trademark pace and determination.
Christopher O’Connell defeated the 13th seed Diego Schwartzman in dominant fashion in the second round. Not only did he win in straight sets, but Schwartzman never looked in the contest.
Twenty-four-year-old Maddison Inglis earned her first victory at grand slam level after defeating US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the first round. She backed that up with a win over qualifier Hailey Baptiste in the second round before losing to veteran Kaia Kanepi in the third round.
She’s on the cusp of the top 100, but more importantly, the prize money will give her more opportunities to travel and participate in tournaments around the world.
Elsewhere, the ever-popular team of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis roared, chest-bumped and siuuu-ed their way to the men’s doubles title. The dream of a Cinderella story packed out arenas and, despite complaints from the tennis purists, the Special K’s brought attention the doubles scene hasn’t received in a very long time.
Competing under a wildcard entry, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis took down four seeded teams – including the No.1 seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic – using the raucous crowds to invigorate them at every occasion.
They met fellow Australians Matt Ebden and Max Purcell in the final, meaning it was a guaranteed title for an Australian pair. The Special Ks aren’t ready to commit to full-time doubles participation, but tournament organisers would surely be looking at the potential for them to draw in crowds and generate the same kind of atmosphere.
Australia almost had another title from Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler, who earned a wildcard entry into the mixed doubles tournament and progressed all the way to the final. While their draw was easier on paper, given several top seeds exited in the first round, they had victories over established doubles players, including Pavic.
Most notably, their semi-final match against Lucie Hradecka and Gonzalo Escobar didn’t start until after midnight, given the epic four-hour, 42-minute battle between Daniil Medvedev and Felix Auger-Aliassime was on before it.
Another success story came from the girls’ tournaments – 17-year-old Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz made it to the semi-finals in both the singles and doubles brackets (alongside Taylah Preston, 16). These two will certainly be prospects for Australia going forward.
Sadly, the tour will be without Samantha Stosur, who announced her retirement from singles competition before the tournament, and will finish after one last year on the doubles circuit. Likewise, Dylan Alcott has also hung up the racquet as well. Both players have had an enormous influence on tennis in Australia in their own way.
Stosur’s impact on women’s tennis in this country cannot be understated. Her singles breakthrough came when players like Alicia Molik and Nicole Pratt were approaching the twilight of their careers. Her success made her the new face of Aussie tennis, a role which she would maintain for over a decade.
Her career successes include winning the 2011 US Open – defeating Serena Williams in straight sets – and finishing runner-up in the 2010 French Open, which peaked her ranking at world No.4.
But her impact off the court was just as strong. Stosur was awarded the WTA Diamond Aces award in 2010 for her efforts in growing the game. Later that year, she won the inaugural Newcombe Medal as the best Australian tennis player – her first of three consecutive awards – and received a further four nominations, including in 2021.
Stosur’s longevity helped bridge a gap between generations of tennis stars. Without her carrying the weight of a nation, Australia may not have so many female talents primed for tour success.
In the same vein, Alcott’s hype personality turned him into a household name and made wheelchair tennis exciting. He leaves the sport as a 15-time singles champion, including seven titles at Melbourne Park and a calendar-year golden slam in 2021 – winning all four grand slams and the Paralympic medal in a single season.
And as the newly-crowned Australian of the Year, Alcott will transition into an ambassadorial role for disability over the next 12 months.
As two Australian tennis legends’ careers draw to a close, the nation is watching the legacy of another one in Ashleigh Barty unfold before their eyes. And with plenty of young, up-and-coming players across the WTA and ATP tours, Australia’s reputation as a strong tennis nation continues into a new era.
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