Reference level: Ash Barty replaces O’Neil as final Aussie winner
It underlined an id subject when one participant’s identify was incorrectly spelled on the scoreboards because the rivals warmed up for the 1978 Australian Open ladies’s singles ultimate.
An further “l” was added to Chris O’Neil’s household identify on the 2 operated by hand scoreboards at Kooyong, the previous house of the Australian Open, in Melbourne’s jap suburbs.
Clearly, the harmless error didn’t unsettle the 21-year-old O’Neil, who beat American Betsy Nagelsen in straight units on the grass court docket in her best hour.
Until top-ranked Ash Barty’s 6-3, 7-6 (2) overcome American Danielle Collins on Saturday at Melbourne Park, O’Neil was the final participant from the host nation to win the Australian Open singles title. In these 44 years, she had disappeared from the event scene.
Fittingly, she was a visitor of Tennis Australia for the ultimate and he or she had the honour of welcoming the singles trophy, the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, on to Rod Laver Arena earlier than the match.
O’Neil grew up in Newcastle, an industrial metropolis north of Sydney, and had beforehand gained just one match in 5 earlier makes an attempt within the Australian Open that was performed at Kooyong from 1972 till it moved completely to Melbourne Park 16 years later.
She retired from event play in her late 20s and managed a tennis complicated close to her house, giving classes to native gamers. Now 65, she not performs following surgical procedure for 2 hip replacements and a knee substitute.
A tall participant with an extended attain and strong all-court sport suited to the quicker grass floor, she was No. 110 on the WTA’s laptop rankings and solely certified for the 32-player draw that 12 months on the Australian Open due to a weakened discipline.
The Federation Cup was performed in Melbourne a month earlier however many of the prime worldwide gamers left to spend the tip of the 12 months at their properties and put together for the beginning of a profitable ladies’s tour.
Britain’s Sue Barker was the highest seed and Czech participant Renata Tomanova was the second seed. Four of the highest seven seeds had misplaced after the primary three days.
O’Neil, who was not even ranked among the many prime 20 Australians on the time, needed to get previous just one seeded participant, American Beth Norton within the second spherical, on the best way to the ultimate. She ultimately conceded solely 31 video games in 5 rounds on her method to the title.
The mistake by the scoreboard attendants in all probability stemmed from Australia having veteran participant Jan O’Neill in tournaments round that point.
While the unlikely 1978 champion slipped again into tennis anonymity, the ladies’s draw was bolstered in 1980 when it elevated to 64 gamers, headlined by Martina Navratilova.
Czech participant Hana Mandlikova, later to take out Australian citizenship, gained that title in 1980, beating house favourite Wendy Turnbull. That was the final time in 42 years that Australia had a finalist within the ladies’s singles occasion.
At the information convention following Barty’s drought-breaking win, event director Craig Tiley made point out of the contenders for the title 44 years earlier.
He famous that Nagelsen, a former coach of Danielle Collins, misplaced to O’Neil by the identical rating.
“I guess it was destiny,” Tiley stated stated to Barty. “Congratulations, incredibly proud of you. You’re a great champion, not just on the court but everything you do in life.”
Barty stated it felt “absolutely incredible” to lastly break the drought and credited a number of former Australian Grand Slam winners for paving the best way for her win.
“I think as Aussies, we’re exceptionally lucky to be a Grand Slam nation,” Barty stated. “To get to experience to play at home is really special, and to be here as a champion of the tournament is really exciting.”
