SYDNEY: Evonne Goolagong Cawley led the way as Australia hailed their new Grand Slam tennis champion Ash Barty on Sunday after the proudly indigenous 23-year-old ended the country's 46-year wait for a French Open women's singles champion.
"What a wonderful result for Australia and how exciting that another Aboriginal has won at the French," she said on Sunday. Most concerning for some in Australia has been the on and off-court antics of the two men who at various times have looked most likely to break that drought, Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios.
Sunday was a day of rejoicing rather than recriminations for most Australians, however, and 11-times major champion Rod Laver, Hewitt and Kyrgios were among a plethora of former Australian number ones to post their congratulations.