AUSSIES MAKE HISTORY
In just 24 hours, three Aussie women take out sporting world championships
JUNE 23 WAS AN EMOTIONAL DAY for Ash Barty, who not only beat Germany’s Julia Görges 6-3, 7-5 during their Birmingham Classic tennis final, but in doing so, knocked World No. 1 Naomi Osaka out of her top ranking to secure it as her own.
Instead of gloating about her victory, the young athlete gracefully thanked Görges in her speech following the match. “You’re one of my best friends on tour and you’ve been there for me since I was a little ‘tacker’,” Barty, 23, said through tears.
Just three years earlier, Barty put an end to her tennis career after suffering from
depression and severe homesickness – before embarking on a stint playing professional cricket. Now, after her return to the court, Barty joins mentor and Indigenous tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley as the second ever Australian female to be ranked No. 1 in the World Tennis Rankings.
“It’s been a whirlwind year for me but to follow in the footsteps of Evonne, even to be mentioned in the same sentence as her, is incredible,” Barty said. “You always dream of it as a little kid for it, but to become a reality, it’s just incredible. It really is.”
The victory was just the beginning of an impressive 24 hours in women’s sport across the globe, with two more Australian female sporting pros taking home major titles. Hours after Barty’s win, surfing champion Sally Fitzgibbons, 28, won the World Surf League’s Rio Pro in Brazil, also becoming World No. 1. “I know my mum’s watching out there with all my family and friends,” she said. “It feels pretty delightful.”
The win was followed by Hannah Green, 22, taking out the Women’s PGA golfing championship in the US. Taking to Instagram to express her gratitude, Green wrote: “A week I will never forget.” •