WEBVTT - Evonne Goolagong Cawley: Grace, greatness and a lasting legacy

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<v Speaker 1>Hello, and welcome to the sit Down.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm Viv Christie, Managing editor for Australian Tennis Magazine, and.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm Metrolope, a writer and editor for oz open dot com.

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<v Speaker 3>And Viv, why are we sitting down this week with

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<v Speaker 3>Evon Gula Gone Coli.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, Matt, we are actually not sitting down with Evon

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<v Speaker 2>Gula Gon Colly, but Casey de Laqua, a friend and

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<v Speaker 2>former guest of the sit Down, sat down with Evon

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<v Speaker 2>during the Night of Champions event last year. That was

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<v Speaker 2>an event that benefited the Australian Tennis Foundation as well

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<v Speaker 2>as Evon's foundation. And the timing is also perfect to

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<v Speaker 2>bring you this interview because the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival

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<v Speaker 2>has just wrapped in Darwin. Evon has been a huge

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<v Speaker 2>part of that carnival, which inspires a lot of First

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<v Speaker 2>Nations players, you know, following a trend of Evon's entire career.

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<v Speaker 2>She's inspired players generally, including Ashbarti, who went on to

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<v Speaker 2>emulate some of Evon's amazing achievements.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, she certainly did. And you speak about great timing.

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<v Speaker 3>It's also the fifty year anniversary of when Eyvon rose

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<v Speaker 3>to world number one. We actually told this story during

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<v Speaker 3>nay Up Week because it's a unique one. She wasn't

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<v Speaker 3>recognized at the time as being a world number one.

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<v Speaker 3>It was discovered more than thirty years later when it

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<v Speaker 3>was revealed there were some missing weeks in the rankings

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<v Speaker 3>and when they discovered the paperwork, they realized Evon had

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<v Speaker 3>been number one for two weeks in nineteen seventy six,

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<v Speaker 3>so she got retroactively honored for that achievement, spent two

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<v Speaker 3>weeks at world number one, the first Australian woman ever

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<v Speaker 3>to be ranked number one on the WTA computer. Just

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<v Speaker 3>one of many remarkable parts about her career. Her Australian

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<v Speaker 3>Open record is outstanding. Obviously Roland Garross and Wimbledon champion,

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<v Speaker 3>and yet she's a player that has just inspired people

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<v Speaker 3>the world over. And you can also hear it from

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<v Speaker 3>Casey herself how much of an honor it was to

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<v Speaker 3>chat to Yvonne.

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<v Speaker 4>And well, Levonne, I think for someone like myself that

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<v Speaker 4>absolutely grew up idolizing you, I don't remember anyone having

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<v Speaker 4>such beautiful volleys on the grass as I saw you

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<v Speaker 4>have them all the time at Wimbledon, and honestly, to

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<v Speaker 4>be sitting here next to you. Being able to chat

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<v Speaker 4>toy is always pretty special. But for you to be

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<v Speaker 4>the guest of honor here tonight, the inaugural Night of Champions,

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<v Speaker 4>it must be pretty special for you.

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<v Speaker 5>Oh. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe all the tables.

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<v Speaker 5>There's a lot of people out there, and.

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<v Speaker 1>It's such a beautiful room, isn't it.

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<v Speaker 5>And it's a gorgeous room. I've never been here before,

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<v Speaker 5>so yeah, it made me feel really special tonight, So

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<v Speaker 5>thank you all.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, this Regent Ballroom, as we said, it's a beautiful room,

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<v Speaker 4>but it is a long way from the wheat town

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<v Speaker 4>of Burrellen in New South Wales where you grew up.

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<v Speaker 4>Can you take us back to that time where you

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<v Speaker 4>walked onto a tennis court hit against that wall and

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<v Speaker 4>what it meant to you?

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<v Speaker 5>Well, actually, I actually started playing tennis before we moved

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<v Speaker 5>to Burrellen and saw my first tennis court. But in

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<v Speaker 5>those days, my older sister and brother used to hit

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<v Speaker 5>against the wall with a stick and using a ball

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<v Speaker 5>that my dad found in an old car, and so

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<v Speaker 5>they were using this stick and then he said, oh

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<v Speaker 5>maybe I could get him to use something better than that,

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<v Speaker 5>so he cut a handle out of something like this.

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<v Speaker 5>That is awesome, how good an apple great board? And

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<v Speaker 5>I spent many many hours hitting against the wall. After

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<v Speaker 5>seeing my older sister and brother using this bat and

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<v Speaker 5>hitting against the wall, I being the third youngest, took

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<v Speaker 5>it off them and I wouldn't give it back. But

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<v Speaker 5>then this isn't this isn't the same actual one, but

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<v Speaker 5>it's very similar the one that I was using. My

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<v Speaker 5>younger sister, who was a baby, then put it in

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<v Speaker 5>the fire and burnt it. I could have killed her.

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<v Speaker 5>But anyway, this bat has taken me a long way.

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<v Speaker 5>When we moved to Burrell and I saw a wall

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<v Speaker 5>being erected, I think I watched every brick being laid

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<v Speaker 5>of that war. And so I kept hitting against the

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<v Speaker 5>wall every day. And I used to see how many

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<v Speaker 5>times I can hit the ball against the wall one

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<v Speaker 5>bounce without making a mistake, Write the highest score in

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<v Speaker 5>the dirt, come back the next day and try and

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<v Speaker 5>beat that score. So I was trying to beat the wall,

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<v Speaker 5>which is crazy. But there was an old gentleman who

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<v Speaker 5>used to work in the hardware store, and his name

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<v Speaker 5>was Stan Smith, of all names. Little did I know

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<v Speaker 5>that I was going to meet a Stan Smith from America,

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<v Speaker 5>and then we lived next door to mister Dunlop.

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<v Speaker 1>No way it was meant to be.

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<v Speaker 5>It was mister Dunlop, So I kind of figured all

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<v Speaker 5>this was really meant to be for me, but it

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<v Speaker 5>wasn't until I read this Princess Magazine story. There was

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<v Speaker 5>four girls magazine stories, and this one particular one was

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<v Speaker 5>called Princess Magazine and the story was about a young

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<v Speaker 5>girl who has found trained and taken to this place

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<v Speaker 5>called Wimbledon, where she played on this magical state court

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<v Speaker 5>and she won and I thought, oh wow, that sounds amazing,

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<v Speaker 5>But I didn't know if that place was for real

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<v Speaker 5>until somebody told me he said, yes, it's in England, London.

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<v Speaker 5>So after that, every time I hit the ball against

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<v Speaker 5>the wall, I used to pretend I was there on

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<v Speaker 5>that magical center court at Wimbledon, and every night when

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<v Speaker 5>I went to sleep, I would dream about playing on

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<v Speaker 5>that magical senate court. So was that dream that kept

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<v Speaker 5>me going right up until the time I went to Sydney,

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<v Speaker 5>And was the townspeople that actually took a hat around

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<v Speaker 5>and raised funds for me to go to Sydney. So

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<v Speaker 5>that were the first people to sort of help me

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<v Speaker 5>achieve my dream, and that was the policeman, the banker.

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<v Speaker 5>I used to call the busher, the baker, the candlestick maker,

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<v Speaker 5>but there it was a policeman, it was a baker,

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<v Speaker 5>and it was a hardware man. And they were the

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<v Speaker 5>people that really got me here today. Otherwise they wouldn't

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<v Speaker 5>be here. So that's what makes this special even more

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<v Speaker 5>special for me, is because I'm able to by becoming famous,

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<v Speaker 5>I can help other young kids achieve their dreams too.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Wow, isn't that just incredible? Yeah? Can I have a feel? Actually,

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<v Speaker 1>it's actually quite incredible to think.

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<v Speaker 4>No, wonder your hand eye, your volleys were incredible just

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<v Speaker 4>by playing by that.

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<v Speaker 5>Oh thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>Well.

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<v Speaker 5>When we've been running my husband and I ran the

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<v Speaker 5>national camp, state camps, come and try days all around

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<v Speaker 5>Australia since two thousand and five. And when I go

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<v Speaker 5>to certain communities or see Aboriginal kids playing for the

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<v Speaker 5>first time, they're all very shy, very scared, and they

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<v Speaker 5>just sit there and look at you, and so I

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<v Speaker 5>tell them my story of how I started and everything.

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<v Speaker 4>It is incredible And it was like Wimwood and was

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<v Speaker 4>almost like Disney but it was a.

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<v Speaker 1>Real place for you.

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<v Speaker 4>But let's go back to from Burrellen and you mentioned

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<v Speaker 4>just before how you then moved to Sydney.

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<v Speaker 1>What was that move to Sydney like for you? Terrifying?

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<v Speaker 5>Actually, at first all the townspeople bought me a new

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<v Speaker 5>suitcase and clothes and everything for the flights. And then

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<v Speaker 5>when I got there in Sydney at the airport, Missus

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<v Speaker 5>Edwards and her daughter Patricia picked me up at the

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<v Speaker 5>airport and I was very shy, very scared, wouldn't say

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<v Speaker 5>booed anybody until we got to the Sydney Harbor Bridge

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<v Speaker 5>and I said, gee, we don't have to pay on

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<v Speaker 5>our bridge and that's a four mile quick outside Brollin.

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<v Speaker 5>And then and I also remember during that time, I

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<v Speaker 5>was the happiest when I was actually playing tournaments. So

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<v Speaker 5>I remember when we went to travel to Newcastle for

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<v Speaker 5>the Matara Festival then and Missus Edwards took us with

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<v Speaker 5>a girl from Gundi, guy Francis Laugh and Patricia. Anyway,

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<v Speaker 5>we used to take turns in making tea. So I

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<v Speaker 5>went around the corner and started making the tea and

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<v Speaker 5>next minute, Evan, why are you taking such a long

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<v Speaker 5>time I said, it takes a long time to get

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<v Speaker 5>these leaves out of these stupid little bags. I'd never

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<v Speaker 5>seen a tea bag before, so or I guess from

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<v Speaker 5>the very beginning, it's all been about education, and that's

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<v Speaker 5>been a very big part of my whole life.

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<v Speaker 1>Really.

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<v Speaker 5>My mum always wanted us to go to school, and

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<v Speaker 5>we didn't miss out in school in any days. And

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<v Speaker 5>then when I went to Sydney, even though I was

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<v Speaker 5>really homesick and everything, and I cried and live every

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<v Speaker 5>other night, what I kept dreaming about was that dream.

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<v Speaker 5>Was that dream that kept me going, got me over

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<v Speaker 5>the homesickness and everything, and as soon as I got

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<v Speaker 5>onto the courts, I was completely happy. I was at home.

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<v Speaker 5>I always figured, you know, this is my own little world.

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<v Speaker 5>No one could touch me. This is my own world,

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<v Speaker 5>and I love it and I want to achieve that dream.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, let's talk about those dreams and the Grand Slams

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<v Speaker 4>then called. At the age of nineteen, you did win

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<v Speaker 4>the French Open singles, and you won the Australia and

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<v Speaker 4>Open doubles with Margaret Court. In nineteen seventy one, you

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<v Speaker 4>won the Wimbledon singles title. As Lockie mentioned, earlier. But

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<v Speaker 4>then you went back in nineteen eighty and you won

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<v Speaker 4>wimbled and again that time as a mother.

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<v Speaker 1>What was it like?

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<v Speaker 4>And you became the first mother then to win in

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<v Speaker 4>the title in sixty six years, which is just incredible.

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<v Speaker 1>But what was it like winning.

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<v Speaker 4>Your first Wimbledon title and then going back and winning

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<v Speaker 4>Wimbledon the second time as a mother?

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<v Speaker 5>Well? I think the first time, you know, I remember

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<v Speaker 5>being up the top of the dressing room, walking down long, long,

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<v Speaker 5>long corridor, walking downstairs, then another long corridor, and then

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<v Speaker 5>sitting in a room opposite with your opponent. That first

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<v Speaker 5>year I went there and her name was Pitches Bartkowitz.

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<v Speaker 5>What a name from America. And so when you sit there,

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<v Speaker 5>there was this big clock. All you get here is

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<v Speaker 5>the ticking of the clock. So I'm sitting there quiet

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<v Speaker 5>to talk. So by the time I got out, I

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<v Speaker 5>looked up, saw all the people, looked up once, never

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<v Speaker 5>looked up again. I just wanted to get off that

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<v Speaker 5>court as soon as possible.

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<v Speaker 1>So this is the.

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<v Speaker 5>Second round, and they don't normally in those days put

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<v Speaker 5>a young girl on center court for the first time

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<v Speaker 5>their first year there.

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<v Speaker 1>But what I didn't know that.

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<v Speaker 5>I was written about a lot about in England and

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<v Speaker 5>through Europe and the world, basically before I even got there.

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<v Speaker 5>So so my coach said said, okay, we'll put you

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<v Speaker 5>in the plate event for first and second round losers,

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<v Speaker 5>and maybe you'll get used to the atmosphere and the

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<v Speaker 5>crowd and everything. So I say, okay, you know, I

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<v Speaker 5>just like playing. So I won that plate event. Then

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<v Speaker 5>it must have worked because the next year I came back,

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<v Speaker 5>I won the French and then was feeling great, and

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<v Speaker 5>then went to Wimbledon and got through to the final

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<v Speaker 5>against Margaret Court, who was number one in the world

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<v Speaker 5>in those days, and she beat me most of the

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<v Speaker 5>time in Australia, but I did beat her a couple

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<v Speaker 5>of times and I thought, oh, maybe I could do

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<v Speaker 5>a right at Wimbledon. Anyway, when I was playing her,

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<v Speaker 5>I was feeling terrific. I was just so confident and

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<v Speaker 5>so at home on that court. But then I sensed

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<v Speaker 5>she's not playing as well as she normally does, so

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<v Speaker 5>I took advantage of that. Anyway, I finally won, and

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<v Speaker 5>I thought, yay, I achieved my dream, just like that,

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<v Speaker 5>just like that Princess magazine story. So ever since, our

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<v Speaker 5>motto was dream. Believe learn achieved. That's my whole life

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<v Speaker 5>and what we're doing here tonight, I'm achieving that dream again.

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<v Speaker 5>But anyway, so I came off the court and ended

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<v Speaker 5>up winning, shook hands and everything and was all excited,

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<v Speaker 5>and then sort of later on I was thinking, Oh,

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<v Speaker 5>she really didn't play that well. Then I found out

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<v Speaker 5>she was pregnant, and I thanked Barry since and because

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<v Speaker 5>I know what that feels like. I played the US

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<v Speaker 5>Open and was I got to the final four years

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<v Speaker 5>in a row, and this one particular year I was.

0:14:04.760 --> 0:14:07.360
<v Speaker 5>I was playing a started off great, then my legs

0:14:07.400 --> 0:14:13.120
<v Speaker 5>got really heavy, my timing went off and everything, and anyway,

0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:18.320
<v Speaker 5>I came off, found out I was pregnant. Anyway, So

0:14:19.040 --> 0:14:25.000
<v Speaker 5>but but I made it into truvial pursuit. Who were

0:14:25.040 --> 0:14:27.560
<v Speaker 5>the two I'll ask you this question, who were the

0:14:27.640 --> 0:14:30.760
<v Speaker 5>two players who were runner up in the US Open

0:14:30.920 --> 0:14:39.600
<v Speaker 5>four times? So as myself and Beyond Borg, and I

0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:42.800
<v Speaker 5>did better than Beyond Borg, though I was consistent.

0:14:44.120 --> 0:14:51.840
<v Speaker 1>I did it in a row. That is awesome.

0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:56.120
<v Speaker 4>And this is why I just absolutely love talking to you,

0:14:56.240 --> 0:14:59.240
<v Speaker 4>because every time your storytelling I learned something new. We

0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:01.880
<v Speaker 4>were chatting back stage before I said it, I said,

0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:05.040
<v Speaker 4>every time we chart, I think I know everything about Yvonne,

0:15:05.040 --> 0:15:06.760
<v Speaker 4>and then I learned something more and more.

0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:09.240
<v Speaker 1>Just incredible. The storytelling is awesome.

0:15:09.800 --> 0:15:12.520
<v Speaker 4>Let's talk Australian Open, because you won it four times

0:15:13.200 --> 0:15:16.600
<v Speaker 4>nineteen seventy four, seventy five, seventy six and seventy seven.

0:15:17.080 --> 0:15:20.200
<v Speaker 4>Talk about playing in Australia and what it was like

0:15:20.280 --> 0:15:22.120
<v Speaker 4>to win at your home Grand Slam.

0:15:23.840 --> 0:15:27.120
<v Speaker 5>I was the happiest person playing at home, and obviously

0:15:27.200 --> 0:15:31.200
<v Speaker 5>I love playing on grass courts and all the championships

0:15:31.240 --> 0:15:34.960
<v Speaker 5>then in those days in every state were played on grass,

0:15:35.960 --> 0:15:39.680
<v Speaker 5>and so to be able to win at home in

0:15:39.720 --> 0:15:42.240
<v Speaker 5>front of my home crowd was probably one of the

0:15:42.320 --> 0:15:48.000
<v Speaker 5>highlights of my whole tennis career, and even even in

0:15:48.120 --> 0:15:52.680
<v Speaker 5>nineteen seventy seven, as you were reminded me of Roger

0:15:52.760 --> 0:15:55.080
<v Speaker 5>and I. After Roger and I got married, we went

0:15:56.200 --> 0:15:59.880
<v Speaker 5>and trained in Fiji in the heat in the middle

0:15:59.880 --> 0:16:02.080
<v Speaker 5>of day to try and get used to their heat

0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:08.200
<v Speaker 5>in Australia, and so when I got back and was playing,

0:16:08.400 --> 0:16:12.800
<v Speaker 5>I just didn't bother me one bit. But I think

0:16:12.880 --> 0:16:17.080
<v Speaker 5>that was really the highlight because that was the first

0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:20.520
<v Speaker 5>Grand Slam Australian Open Grand Slam that have won as

0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:25.920
<v Speaker 5>a mother, everybody gets a little confused and think that

0:16:26.360 --> 0:16:27.440
<v Speaker 5>a it was Wimbledon.

0:16:28.720 --> 0:16:30.240
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, so just so everyone knows.

0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:33.720
<v Speaker 4>In nineteen seventy seven the Australian Open was actually played twice.

0:16:33.760 --> 0:16:36.560
<v Speaker 4>It was played once in January, and with scheduling changes,

0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:40.680
<v Speaker 4>it was actually played again in December. And Yvonne and

0:16:40.800 --> 0:16:44.320
<v Speaker 4>Roger had Kelly, their daughter in May of nineteen seventy seven,

0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:48.160
<v Speaker 4>So in December, even when I won the Australian Open Championships,

0:16:48.200 --> 0:16:50.880
<v Speaker 4>which is just incredible.

0:16:54.320 --> 0:16:58.000
<v Speaker 5>I think motherhood toughened me up a bit.

0:16:58.920 --> 0:16:59.760
<v Speaker 1>It certainly does.

0:17:01.680 --> 0:17:04.320
<v Speaker 4>In twenty twenty two, someone we both know very well,

0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:11.840
<v Speaker 4>Ash Party won It won the Australian Open. Hush Barty,

0:17:12.080 --> 0:17:17.960
<v Speaker 4>it's the Australian Open champion. It was such a beautiful surprise,

0:17:18.080 --> 0:17:21.520
<v Speaker 4>especially being backstage Ash not knowing that you were going

0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:23.320
<v Speaker 4>to be there. It was all a bit of a

0:17:23.400 --> 0:17:25.000
<v Speaker 4>hustle and bustle to get you there.

0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:27.360
<v Speaker 1>Then she wins. I have a little surprise.

0:17:28.640 --> 0:17:34.640
<v Speaker 4>Put your hands together for Evon Gullagon Collie. But how

0:17:34.640 --> 0:17:36.600
<v Speaker 4>special was that moment to be able to present that

0:17:36.640 --> 0:17:37.320
<v Speaker 4>trophy to her?

0:17:37.800 --> 0:17:41.920
<v Speaker 5>It was amazing. I had called her before the tournament started.

0:17:41.960 --> 0:17:43.520
<v Speaker 5>I said I won't be able to make it because

0:17:43.560 --> 0:17:48.760
<v Speaker 5>I've got pneumonia, and so I was at home recovering

0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:52.520
<v Speaker 5>but watching her play of the whole two weeks and

0:17:52.920 --> 0:17:56.760
<v Speaker 5>suddenly I had a call from Craig Carley and said, Evon,

0:17:56.840 --> 0:17:59.159
<v Speaker 5>I said, how are you feeling? And I said, well,

0:17:59.200 --> 0:18:02.040
<v Speaker 5>I've been having my and and appse every day and

0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:07.000
<v Speaker 5>I feel fine. And so he invited not just myself

0:18:07.000 --> 0:18:10.080
<v Speaker 5>but my husband and my son to help with Roger

0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:15.520
<v Speaker 5>with his wheelchair and so on, and I said, yes,

0:18:15.840 --> 0:18:19.320
<v Speaker 5>I definitely want to go. And it was absolutely amazing.

0:18:19.400 --> 0:18:22.680
<v Speaker 5>They hid us at the Australian Open. They hit us

0:18:23.280 --> 0:18:26.679
<v Speaker 5>so that nobody would see us, and so they snuck

0:18:26.760 --> 0:18:29.040
<v Speaker 5>us in the back way and someone was in this

0:18:29.280 --> 0:18:35.320
<v Speaker 5>room another room watching it on TV and tells you one.

0:18:35.440 --> 0:18:39.679
<v Speaker 5>So that was fun. I really enjoyed that. It was

0:18:39.720 --> 0:18:42.160
<v Speaker 5>a real surprise for both of us.

0:18:42.160 --> 0:18:45.240
<v Speaker 4>Really, yeah, I know it meant a lot to Ash. Okay,

0:18:45.320 --> 0:18:49.040
<v Speaker 4>So since you retired from that incredible career we've just

0:18:49.080 --> 0:18:52.600
<v Speaker 4>talked about, you've spent a lot of time with family

0:18:52.920 --> 0:18:55.159
<v Speaker 4>and also supporting First Nations communities.

0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:56.840
<v Speaker 1>Tell us a little bit about your work.

0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:01.240
<v Speaker 5>Well, we even before we formed a foundation.

0:19:02.720 --> 0:19:04.320
<v Speaker 1>We meaning my husband.

0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:07.879
<v Speaker 5>When I came back from America in ninety one, my

0:19:07.960 --> 0:19:10.639
<v Speaker 5>mom died and I thought, that's it. You know, I've

0:19:10.680 --> 0:19:16.080
<v Speaker 5>got to stay at home with my family. And when

0:19:16.119 --> 0:19:18.400
<v Speaker 5>I rode back, I said, I want to do what

0:19:18.440 --> 0:19:24.000
<v Speaker 5>the townspeople did for me. So Roger went ahead and

0:19:24.040 --> 0:19:29.120
<v Speaker 5>he organized, you know, these whole all these trips, come

0:19:29.160 --> 0:19:32.639
<v Speaker 5>and try days, state camps, national camps, and ran the

0:19:32.680 --> 0:19:38.879
<v Speaker 5>whole thing. And and he's here tonight. Thank you, Roger, and.

0:19:40.480 --> 0:19:47.640
<v Speaker 1>Roger around of applause. If you can believe it, it's.

0:19:49.000 --> 0:19:51.120
<v Speaker 5>We've been married fifty years.

0:19:52.560 --> 0:19:53.240
<v Speaker 1>A week ago.

0:19:56.240 --> 0:19:58.960
<v Speaker 5>Uh so, so I got to hang in there for

0:19:59.080 --> 0:20:02.440
<v Speaker 5>the for the hunt somehow.

0:20:02.680 --> 0:20:07.080
<v Speaker 4>Congratulations. That is an incredible achievement in itself. And tonight

0:20:08.119 --> 0:20:11.199
<v Speaker 4>we're raising funds for the Eyvon Goolagong Cally Scholarship, a

0:20:11.240 --> 0:20:14.520
<v Speaker 4>collaboration between the Australian Tennis Foundation and the Evon gul

0:20:14.640 --> 0:20:15.920
<v Speaker 4>Go Cali Foundation.

0:20:16.880 --> 0:20:17.639
<v Speaker 1>Talk to us a.

0:20:17.640 --> 0:20:20.119
<v Speaker 4>Little bit about how the scholarship it will change a

0:20:20.119 --> 0:20:21.000
<v Speaker 4>person's life.

0:20:21.480 --> 0:20:25.640
<v Speaker 5>Oh definitely. Well, I mean I know that our program

0:20:25.680 --> 0:20:29.600
<v Speaker 5>has changed a lot of lives. What we did was

0:20:29.640 --> 0:20:35.600
<v Speaker 5>we picked the kids that really shine and you know,

0:20:35.640 --> 0:20:38.800
<v Speaker 5>they really try it life and so on, not just

0:20:38.880 --> 0:20:43.920
<v Speaker 5>the best tennis players, although we will take them anyway.

0:20:44.280 --> 0:20:47.240
<v Speaker 5>What we do is that we we pick them out

0:20:47.840 --> 0:20:52.480
<v Speaker 5>from the com and dry days. And we followed that

0:20:53.119 --> 0:20:55.280
<v Speaker 5>if they stay in school, they get to the state

0:20:55.359 --> 0:20:57.840
<v Speaker 5>camps and the same thing with the national camps if

0:20:57.880 --> 0:21:01.040
<v Speaker 5>they stay in school. So it was very important to

0:21:01.160 --> 0:21:06.439
<v Speaker 5>concentrate on education and so that has been going on

0:21:06.520 --> 0:21:10.040
<v Speaker 5>for a long time and I'm just so pleased that

0:21:11.040 --> 0:21:17.280
<v Speaker 5>Tennis Australia we're kind of partnering now in doing the

0:21:17.320 --> 0:21:22.080
<v Speaker 5>same thing all around around Australia. So it gives me

0:21:22.200 --> 0:21:25.760
<v Speaker 5>great pleasure to be able to do this. I enjoy it.

0:21:27.200 --> 0:21:29.479
<v Speaker 5>But the best part about it, I think is that

0:21:30.440 --> 0:21:35.320
<v Speaker 5>you create a whole family from all around Australia, you know,

0:21:35.680 --> 0:21:39.520
<v Speaker 5>and that's the fun part. So I'm really enjoying that.

0:21:40.320 --> 0:21:43.159
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, keep that ever round of course for that because

0:21:43.560 --> 0:21:47.879
<v Speaker 4>I have seen also firsthand the work that all of

0:21:47.920 --> 0:21:49.600
<v Speaker 4>our team and your team has done.

0:21:50.640 --> 0:21:52.040
<v Speaker 1>It's been incredible.

0:21:52.080 --> 0:21:54.440
<v Speaker 4>If we could just finish lastly, if you look back

0:21:54.520 --> 0:21:57.879
<v Speaker 4>over the years of playing tennis and the years since,

0:21:58.400 --> 0:22:02.840
<v Speaker 4>I know what has brought you so much joy in tennis.

0:22:04.800 --> 0:22:10.000
<v Speaker 5>I think first winning my first Grand Slam as a mother,

0:22:10.760 --> 0:22:13.359
<v Speaker 5>I think that brought me the most joy, and then

0:22:13.680 --> 0:22:17.560
<v Speaker 5>winning as a mother winning the first time winning Wimbledon

0:22:18.320 --> 0:22:25.679
<v Speaker 5>was absolutely amazing, creating and actually you know, letting that

0:22:25.800 --> 0:22:31.159
<v Speaker 5>dream happen, and then I think, you know, with and

0:22:31.200 --> 0:22:35.320
<v Speaker 5>then winning as a mother the second time at Wimbledon.

0:22:36.800 --> 0:22:41.679
<v Speaker 5>I remember that day because it was against Chris Evatt,

0:22:41.920 --> 0:22:44.679
<v Speaker 5>by the way, and I remember that day because the

0:22:44.720 --> 0:22:48.840
<v Speaker 5>officials came up to me didn't say congratulations, he said

0:22:49.440 --> 0:22:52.280
<v Speaker 5>and did you know you're the first mother since doros

0:22:52.280 --> 0:22:54.240
<v Speaker 5>A Land the Chambers in nineteen fourteen.

0:22:56.200 --> 0:23:00.240
<v Speaker 1>Oh thank you. He didn't even say well done or

0:23:00.280 --> 0:23:01.160
<v Speaker 1>anything well play.

0:23:02.440 --> 0:23:07.080
<v Speaker 5>But anyway, that was a real experience and that bought

0:23:07.119 --> 0:23:08.280
<v Speaker 5>me so much joy.

0:23:08.440 --> 0:23:12.000
<v Speaker 4>Oh, will you bring so much joy to so many people, Yvonne,

0:23:12.000 --> 0:23:15.240
<v Speaker 4>Thank you for sharing your story tonight and continue to

0:23:16.000 --> 0:23:20.159
<v Speaker 4>not just inspire First Nations people, but people are everywhere.

0:23:20.680 --> 0:23:22.760
<v Speaker 4>You're one of the true legends of our sport. There

0:23:22.840 --> 0:23:25.400
<v Speaker 4>is no doubt about it. So can everyone please give

0:23:25.600 --> 0:23:28.520
<v Speaker 4>a huge round of applause to our guest of honor,

0:23:28.680 --> 0:23:30.440
<v Speaker 4>yvon Polagone Corley.

0:23:31.400 --> 0:23:34.480
<v Speaker 3>Well, viv Yvon mentions the joy of winning wimbled and

0:23:34.560 --> 0:23:37.000
<v Speaker 3>she brought so much joy to people who have watched her.

0:23:37.080 --> 0:23:38.720
<v Speaker 3>I never got to watch her live, but I've watched

0:23:38.760 --> 0:23:43.879
<v Speaker 3>lots of highlights of her. Her gracefulness, her anticipation, her creativity,

0:23:44.000 --> 0:23:46.560
<v Speaker 3>the way she flowed across the court. Just a wonderful

0:23:46.600 --> 0:23:49.080
<v Speaker 3>player to watch. And not only was she a beloved

0:23:49.080 --> 0:23:51.320
<v Speaker 3>figure here in Australia, but she had a global fan

0:23:51.440 --> 0:23:54.080
<v Speaker 3>base and people remember her so fondly and it was

0:23:54.520 --> 0:23:56.520
<v Speaker 3>really cool to revisit those moments in her career.

0:23:56.960 --> 0:24:00.119
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and speaking of joy, what about that moment the

0:24:00.160 --> 0:24:02.760
<v Speaker 2>Australian Open in twenty twenty two when it was you know,

0:24:02.840 --> 0:24:06.840
<v Speaker 2>it was already such an incredible achievement having watched Ashbardy

0:24:06.880 --> 0:24:10.600
<v Speaker 2>win her home title, but then Eyvon came out and I,

0:24:10.760 --> 0:24:12.480
<v Speaker 2>you know, she spoke about it had been kept this

0:24:12.680 --> 0:24:15.840
<v Speaker 2>huge secret, and yeah, I think we were as surprised

0:24:15.880 --> 0:24:18.240
<v Speaker 2>as anyone. And I'm not sure that I've ever felt,

0:24:18.800 --> 0:24:21.280
<v Speaker 2>you know, so great watching a moment in Australian tennis.

0:24:21.400 --> 0:24:25.680
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, it really goosebumps going back and watching that. We'll

0:24:25.720 --> 0:24:27.639
<v Speaker 3>be back again next week with another episode of the

0:24:27.720 --> 0:24:30.479
<v Speaker 3>sit Down, Please subscribe so you never miss an episode

0:24:30.480 --> 0:24:32.280
<v Speaker 3>when it lands in your feed, And if you could

0:24:32.320 --> 0:24:34.560
<v Speaker 3>leave us a rating or a review, we'd love that too.

0:24:34.880 --> 0:24:36.480
<v Speaker 3>See you next week, viv, See you then, Matt,