Evonne Goolagong Cawley is hoping for the emergence of a successor to Ash Barty who can proceed inspiring the nation's Indigenous youngsters to take up the game.
Goolagong Cawley, the primary Aboriginal Australian to win a Grand Slam title, claimed the final of her seven majors at Wimbledon in 1980.
It took practically 4 many years earlier than Barty turned the second Aboriginal Australian participant to win a Grand Slam crown on the 2019 French Open.
The hole was "too lengthy", Goolagong Cawley mentioned on Thursday as she helped launch the Nationwide Indigenous Tennis Carnival (NIDC) in Darwin.
"I believe Ash has impressed much more younger women to get on the market and play this pretty sport. So who is aware of?" the 71-year-old instructed Reuters.
"Possibly we'll even discover a champion right here on the carnival."
Tennis Australia's NIDC will deliver collectively some 230 aspiring Indigenous Australian juniors from each state and territory to compete in tournaments from Friday to Sunday in Darwin.
Goolagong Cawley helped launch the primary carnival in 2018, tipping that an Indigenous breakthrough was solely a matter of time.
Because it occurred, Barty gained at Roland Garros the next 12 months, then added Wimbledon in 2021 and this 12 months's Australian Open title to her Grand Slam haul earlier than retiring in March.
Australia's inhabitants of about 800,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is effectively represented in elite Australian Guidelines soccer and rugby league however a lot much less in tennis.
An absence of infrastructure in distant communities has been an impediment however Tennis Australia has labored to open new pathways for expertise lately.
Goolagong Cawley, whose basis sponsors Indigenous tennis, mentioned Barty's affect had been clear in the neighborhood.
"When Ash was profitable, on the high of her tennis, that they had so many individuals coming for teaching classes due to her," she mentioned.
"So she has affected numerous younger youngsters on the market to wish to play this glorious sport.
"(Position fashions) are essential."
