Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Ash Barty at National Indigenous Tennis Carnival
Tennis great Ash Barty joined forces with her mentor Evonne Goolagong Cawley to surprise hundreds of kids at the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival. Watch the moment.
Northern Territory
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In an appearance five years in the making, three-time grand slam champion Ash Barty has surprised hundreds of kids at the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival.
Barty joined fellow Australian tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley in Darwin to interact and share stories of her tennis journey with Indigenous kids from across the country.
Goolagong Cawley was a mentor and idol of Barty’s on her way through to the elite of the game, and now the two have joined forces to inspire the next generation of Aussie players.
“It’s nice to physically be here and spend some time with the kids,” Barty said.
“It’s been a long time coming, we’ve been trying to here each and every year and now it’s nice to be here and celebrate this time together.
“We get to enjoy watching them do what they love, which is tennis as well as cultural activities where kids can connect with each other, their families and their heritage.”
The Carnival is in its fifth iteration and brings kids from across the country, including remote communities across the NT, together for a week of tennis fun.
184 kids came together for the event that runs from August 8-11, with every one of them celebrating the moment when Barty was introduced on Friday.
Barty called it the perfect event for her to be a part of combining her love of tennis with her passion for interacting with juniors looking for a pathway into the game.
“There’s 184 kids from all around the nation that get to come up here, some have never been on a plane or experienced this environment before, so it’s exciting for them to get that taste,” she said.
“It certainly reminds me of how I felt when I used to go to junior tournaments, and having the opportunity to come here and experience this is great.
“It’s a really beautiful week, and it’s a celebration of not only great tennis but our heritage and our culture as well.
“I get to do what I love, which is play tennis and connect with children, I love seeing their faces light up and see them learn and grow to discover what’s possible.”
Goolagong Cawley has been the ultimate pioneer for Indigenous athletes, rising through the ranks herself at a time when she was the first on the circuit.
“When I first started playing tennis I was the only Aboriginal actually playing at tournaments,” she said.
“So, for me to come back and see so many kids out there is wonderful, it’s the only reason I like being famous because I know I can help these kids.”
Aussie tennis legend opens national Indigenous Carnival
Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley joined 184 aspiring First Nations tennis players in opening the fifth edition of the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival.
The event, based in Darwin, brings together aspiring Indigenous players from across the country through tennis, including many from remote communities that wouldn’t otherwise have the chance.
It runs from August 8-11, and beyond just the sport has a strong focus on culture, community, education and wellbeing.
And to make it extra special, former world number one and proud Wiradjuri woman, Goolagong Cawley is once again the event’s ambassador.
She said that for her it was great to see so many Indigenous players getting to play on courts in a tournament made for them, a chance she was not afforded when she first had a dream of playing.
“I love coming back here all the time, and it’s great for me to see so many Aboriginal kids from all around Australia in one place,” she said.
“When I first started in tennis it was the days when Aboriginal people weren’t even allowed in competitions.
“But the townspeople saw how keen I was hitting against a wall every day, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”
Education, and ensuring kids stay in school, is a big driver for the tennis legend, who herself had to stay in schooling before pursuing her international career.
She said it played an important role in how she approached tennis and living out her dream of winning on the Wimbledon centre court.
“My main concern is keeping the kids in school, I had to stay in school myself before I started travelling overseas,” Goolagong Cawley said.
“I’m now able to do what I always dreamt of and that’s trying to get more Indigenous kids involved in tennis, and that’s now happening.
“I’m here because I had a dream of playing on Wimbledon centre court and winning,
“My main motto is dream, believe, learn, achieve and I went there and I achieved that dream and I honestly believe kids who go to and stay in school can plan their career and do whatever they want.”
Tennis NT chief executive Tania Tandora said it was great to have the event in Darwin still as a chance to bring kids from remote communities in.
“We’re so lucky to be able to host this event in the NT, because it gives us the opportunity bring in kids from remote communities who wouldn’t otherwise be able to go,” she said.
“Everyone comes together to host this event, we get so much help from Tennis Australia and the other associations and together we make something so special here.
“You get kids from completely different backgrounds learning together and making friends, and we’re just so lucky to have it here.”
Tennis Australia First Nations Lead Kyah Jones said the carnival was one of the highlights on the calendar each year.
“Part of my role is to encourage First Nations kids to participate in our amazing sport of tennis and we’re so excited to be here on Larrakeyah country,” Jones said.
“This is one of favourite events of the year and being a proud Aboriginal woman it makes me smile so much to be here for the next few days.”
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Originally published as Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Ash Barty at National Indigenous Tennis Carnival
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