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Famous Aussie Tennis Players

When it comes to famous Aussie tennis players, no doubt there are many names that spring to mind.

We look up to them, we barrack for them and of course we try to be just like them in a backyard match, we’ve been lucky as a country to feature a large number of famous Aussie tennis players.

So, who do you think of as some of our famous Aussie tennis players over the years? There’s Rod Laver, Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Pat Cash, Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt, Todd Woodbridge, Mark Philippoussis, Ash Barty and Samantha Stosur, just to name a few.

Famous Aussie Tennis Players - Ash Barty

10 famous Aussie tennis players

 

Lleyton Hewitt

  • Hewitt is best remembered for wearing his cap backwards and shouting “C’mon!’ at himself during matches.
  • Was an unknown 16-year-old who won his first major tournament in Adelaide, claiming victory over Andre Agassi in the semi-finals.
  • Did you know he is a three-time Olympian.
  • Nabbed the number one ranking spot in the men’s singles in 2001, when he was just 20-years-old.

Pat Rafter

  • It all began for Rafter on the hot bitumen courts in his home town of Mount Isa in Queensland.
  • Turned pro in 1991, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s where he claimed back-to-back US Open titles and held the world number one ranking for a short stint.
  • Rafter won fans around the world for his sense of humour and commitment to fair play.
  • Named Australian of the Year in 2022.

Pat Cash

  • Cash was ranked the number one junior in the world in 1981, winning both the Wimbledon and US Open junior titles when he was 17.
  • Faced world number one Ivan Lendl at Wimbledon in 1987 beating him in straight sets 7-6 6-2 7-5. It was after this moment that Cash then climbed into the stands to celebrate with his family and coach. He started a Wimbledon tradition which has been copied by many other champions in the years that followed.

Rod Laver

  • Nicknamed “Rocket” by Australian Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman.
  • The only player in tennis history to have won all Grand Slam singles twice in the same year.
  • Rod Laver won a record 200 tournaments and was number one from 1964-70.
  • In January 2000, the Centre Court Stadium at Melbourne Park, home of the Australian Open since 1988, was renamed Rod Laver Arena.

Todd Woodbridge

  • One half of The Woodies with fellow Aussie Mark Woodforde.
  • Overall, Woodbridge won 16 major men’s doubles titles – nine Wimbledon’s, three US Opens, three Australian Opens and one French Open.
  • In singles competition, Woodbridge earned a career high of number 19.
  • Became Davis Cup coach in 2009.

Mark Philippoussis

• Played tennis since the age of six, turning pro in 1994.
• On May 25, 1997, Philippoussis recorded a personal best of serve of 229km/h. During the height of his career, he was known to have one of the fastest serves in the game.
• Did you know he was nicknamed the Scud and The Pou.

Margaret Court

• Court (nee Smith) made her debut in Adelaide in 1959 at the age of 17.
• Dominated women’s competition in the 1960s.
• She won 66 Grand Slam championships (more than any other woman).
• Winning the Australian Open singles title in 1960, Court would go on to win for the next six years, taking out 11 overall (1960-66, 1969, 1970-71, 1973).
• Court was well-known for her powerful serve and volley.

Evonne Goolagong Cawley

  •  The first Indigenous Australian to win a singles grand slam.
  • Ranks number two (after Margaret Court) for most grand slam titles by an Australian woman.
  • Overall, earned 72 singles, 45 doubles and three mixed doubles tour championships.
  • There is a giant tennis racquet and ball in Barellan, New South Wales, where Evonne grew up in the 1950s and 60s.
  • Nicknamed Sunshine Super Girl.

Ash Barty

  • Won 15 career singles titles including three grand slam tournaments.
  • Held the number one spot in the women’s tennis world rankings for 114 consecutive weeks.
  • Started playing at the age of five.
  • Also plays cricket, signing with the Brisbane Heat in 2015, before returning to tennis.

Samantha Stosur

  • Began playing tennis at eight when a friend gave her a racquet for Christmas.
  • Became the first player in a decade to beat Justine Henin and Serena Williams at the same Grand Slam event.
  • Won her first major title (US Open 2011), beating Serena Williams 6-2 6-3 in the final.
  • At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Stosur became the first Australian tennis player to represent the nation at five Olympic Games.
Famous Aussie Tennis Players - Mark Philippoussis

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