Australian tennis legends Jelena Dokic, Judy Dalton inspire Tassie’s leading tennis minds

Jelena Dokic headlined a Hobart International event, however she wasn’t the only legend in the room. One name, you might not recognise, but paved the way for gender equality in sport.

Panel (right to left) Australian tennis legend Judy Dalton, WTA chief executive Portia Archer and Tennis Tasmania's Alyssa Hibberd. Women Leaders in Tennis Networking Event celebrating Hobart International's 30th anniversary. Picture: supplied/Hobart International

While a room full of Tasmania’s leading tennis minds at Glenorchy was gripped by the inspirational Jelena Dokic — she wasn’t the only Australian legend in the room.

The achievements of nine times major doubles champion Judy Dalton, who was part of a panel during the evening, was graciously recognised at the Women Leaders in Tennis Networking Event on the 30th anniversary of the Hobart International.

Dalton was part of tennis’ Original 9, a group of women’s professional players including Billie Jean King in 1970 to launch their own professional tour that later evolved into the WTA tour.

Giving the “long and short” version of how it happened, she said a survey at the gate of a tournament in the USA gave them the belief women’s sports had an audience.

Backed by a tobacco company, their first tournament offered prize money of $7,500, close to that of the men’s.

“None of us had ever won that amount of prize money,” Dalton said.

Panel WTA chief executive Portia Archer, Jelena Dokic, Judy Dalton, and Tennis Tasmania's Alyssa Hibberd. Women Leaders in Tennis Networking Event celebrating Hobart International's 30th anniversary. Picture: supplied/Hobart International

On achieving equal money — which tennis now has at Slams — she said that had been a “dream”.

“Our motivation was for recognition … for people who might appreciate women in sport, whereas they hadn’t before,” she said.

She’s most proud of not only changing women’s tennis but the flow on impact on sport, including changing America’s Title IX giving women athletes the right to equal opportunities in colleges.

Those on the panel with her, the WTA chief executive Portia Archer and Tennis Tasmania’s Alyssa Hibberd, both shared the impact the activism of Dalton and the Original 9 had on their lives — saying without that they wouldn’t have achieved what they had.

Jelena Dokic being interviewed by Sarah Burt at Women Leaders in Tennis Networking Event celebrating Hobart International's 30th anniversary. Picture: supplied/Hobart International

Earlier, Jelena Dokic captivated the room with her story, not holding back on talking about family violence, mental health and eating disorders, at Glenorchy Football Club’s function centre.

She shared a message of wanting to create change and turning adversity into something powerful — saying if her platform helped just one person it would be worthwhile.

“Tennis is something I really loved … it kept me going even after I retired from it,” Dokic said.

“What really helped is I found something that was a passion … so even through the toughest moments I kept going out there.”