Evonne Goolagong-Cawley AC, MBE

Australian tennis legend and champion. First Indigenous Australian woman to achieve international sporting fame

Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, AC, MBE is a Wiradjuri Aborigine.

She has been Australian of the Year, Australian Sportsman of the Year, appointed her as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

In her glorious tennis career Evonne was ranked the number one player in the world in 1971 and 1976. In total she won 92 pro tournaments, was a finalist in 18 Grand Slam singles events winning at Wimbledon twice, the Australian Open 4 times, the French Open once and was runner up 4 years in succession at the US Open. She also won seven Grand Slam doubles titles. At her second Wimbledon triumph in 1980 Evonne became the first mother to win since Dorothy Lambert Chambers in 1914. She represented Australia 7 times in the Fed Cup winning in 1971, 1973 and 1974, and was Australia’s Fed Cup Captain from 2002-2004.

She has been a board member of the Australian Sports Commission, appointed by the Federal Government as a consultant in Indigenous Sport and since 2005 has run the Goolagong National Development Camp for Indigenous girls and boys. Using tennis as a vehicle to promote better health, education and employment, the program has awarded school scholarships, produced university scholars, tennis players, coaches, and sports administrators and has helped with employment placement.

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Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, AC, MBE, one of Australia's greatest tennis players of all time, was ranked the number one player in the world in 1971 and 1976. In total she won 92 pro tournaments, was a finalist in 18 Grand Slam singles events winning at Wimbledon twice, the Australian Open 4 times, the French Open once and was runner up 4 years in succession at the US Open.
Australian of the Year and Australian Sportsman of the Year. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
Board member of the Australian Sports Commission 1995-1996.
Appointed by Tennis Australia as an ‘Ambassador for the Sport of Tennis’ 1998-2005, 2012-2024.
Served as a Board member of the Indigenous Land Corporation 2007-2011, was elected to the board of the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence 2008.
In 2012, established and became the first Chair of the Evonne Goolagong Foundation.
Received Honorary Doctorates from Charles Sturt University, Griffith University, the University of Sydney and the University of South Australia and an Honorary Fellowship from Monash University.
Received the Philipe Chatrier Award in 2018, the International Tennis Federation's highest accolade given for exceptional contributions to tennis on and off the court.

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Testimonials for Evonne Goolagong-Cawley AC, MBE

Evonne was super lovely and great to work with. Such a fabulous speaker, so inspiring and uplifting .
The Faculty

Evonne was great. A question and answer type presenting worked well.
Blacktown City Council