LONDON – Newly-crowned Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty says if she could be “half the person” her fellow indigenous Australian and two-time Wimbledon victor Evonne Goolagong Cawley is she would be “very happy.”
Barty overcame a few wobbles – including being broken when serving for the match in the second set – to beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 and spark a feeling she said she had never experienced on a tennis court before.
The 25-year-old’s victory is extra special to her as it came on the 50th anniversary of her “friend and mentor” Cawley’s first win at the All England Club.
“The stars aligned for me over the past fortnight,” said Barty.
“That it happened to fall on the 50th anniversary of Evonne’s first title here is absolutely incredible.”
Barty said it was a “miracle” she had been able to play at all after she learned from her team post match how serious the hip injury that forced her to retire from last month’s French Open had been.
However, it was Cawley who dominated her thoughts – she had shed a tear when the now 69-year-old was mentioned in the immediate aftermath of her victory – and indeed her match kit.
She had had a dress specially designed as a tribute to Cawley’s iconic scallop dress she wore in the 1971 final.
“Evonne is a very special person in my life,” said Barty.
“I think she has been iconic in paving a way for young indigenous youth to believe in their dreams and to chase their dream.”