Tennis legend John Fitzgerald introduced the Australian Open trophies to the western Victorian city of Pomonal on the weekend the place two new courts had been opened.
Pomonal, Australia, 30 October 2024 | Luke Dennehy
When John Fitzgerald formally opened the 2 new courts on the western Victorian nation city of Pomonal final weekend, it introduced again so many reminiscences for the previous world No.1 doubles participant.
‘Fitzy’, as he’s universally often called, grew up in Cockaleechie on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, enjoying tennis on related asphalt courts.
“This jogs my memory of my heritage, I genuinely really feel it,” he mentioned. “The city I grew up in, Cockaleechie, was a farming group that had three tennis courts.
“A bit like Pomonal, it had a cricket oval and a corridor, the place our dad and mom used to go to Saturday night time dances and we stayed within the automotive after we had been little youngsters.
“The courts we had had been just like this, however not in as good condition. Actually, there have been fairly a couple of mushrooms and grass rising via the courts, which was generally arduous to navigate, and there have been extra flies.”
Bushfires devastated the group of Pomonal in February this 12 months and the brand new courts shaped a part of the proud group’s restoration.
The courts had been constructed with the assist of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Basis’s Trip to Keep in mind and the Ararat Rural Metropolis Council.
“This group has gone via so much and to see what they’ve finished right here to construct these tennis courts is simply wonderful,” Fitzy mentioned.
The Australian Open trophies go to Pomonal; CFA Captain Randall Bacon with John Fitzgerald. Photograph: Tennis Australia
In addition to reducing the ribbon and opening the brand new courts alongside Pomonal Tennis Membership president Michelle Stewart, Fitzy was visiting as a part of his work supporting the AO on the Street program.
AO on the Street – which showcases the Australian Open trophies Norm and Daphne at areas round Victoria – is a joint initiative between Tennis Australia and Tennis Victoria with the assist of Go to Victoria.
Already the trophies have been to the Bacchus Marsh and Castlemaine Tennis Membership, and in coming months will go to Mt Magnificence, Warrnambool, Morwell, Purple Hill and Mt Eliza tennis golf equipment.
“It’s about taking the game we love and the 2 AO trophies to all these unbelievable communities and looking out ahead to subsequent 12 months’s Australian Open,” Fitzy mentioned.
“We discover after we deliver the trophies everyone seems to be so welcoming, and also you by no means meet individuals who aren’t good folks in locations like this.”
Australia has a proud historical past with most of the nation’s iconic gamers, together with Fitzy, beginning out on courts similar to these at Pomonal.
Fitzy acknowledged the integral half the game and such amenities performed in regional and rural communities.
“Tony Roche, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Evonne (Goolagong Cawley) and so many others began within the nation and areas similar to this,” he mentioned.
Future AO on the Street tennis membership areas
- Mt Magnificence – Sunday, 3 November
- Warrnambool – Sunday, 24 November
- Morwell – Saturday, 30 November
- Purple Hill – Sunday, 1 December
- Mt Eliza – Sunday, 15 December
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