Evonne Goolagong Cawley

Evonne Goolagong Cawley's story is one of the most remarkable in Australian sport. A Wiradjuri girl from the wheat-belt town of Barellan, she grew up during the era of the Stolen Generations and faced the barriers many Aboriginal Australians experienced. Yet by 19 she was a major champion, and she went on to become world No. 1, win seven major singles titles and return to win Wimbledon as a mother.

Early life in Barellan

Evonne Fay Goolagong was born in Griffith, New South Wales, on 31 July 1951, and moved with her family to Barellan shortly afterwards. She grew up during the time of the Stolen Generations, when Aboriginal children were removed from their families, and later recalled having to hide to avoid being taken.

Despite the prejudice and disadvantage Aboriginal people faced, she was able to play tennis in Barellan from childhood. A local resident, Bill Kurtzman, saw her peering through the fence at the town's courts and invited her in. In 1965, Vic Edwards, who ran a tennis school in Sydney, was tipped off by his assistants, travelled to Barellan and immediately saw her potential. She moved to Sydney to train with him.

A champion at 19

Goolagong rose rapidly. At 19, she won the French Open singles and the Australian Open doubles with Margaret Court. In 1971 she won the Wimbledon singles title, beating Court in the final, and became the second woman in the Open Era to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year, the so-called Channel Slam. She was named Australian of the Year in 1971.

Her game was graceful and instinctive, built on movement, touch and all-court variety rather than raw power.

Australian Open dominance

Goolagong made seven consecutive finals at the Australian Open and won three titles in a row. Across her career she won singles and doubles titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and singles and mixed doubles titles at the French Open.

Great rivals

Goolagong is the only woman to have beaten Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in major finals. Her rivalry with Evert was a feature of the 1970s: in 1976, her best season to that point, she won seven titles and rose to No. 1, losing only five times to Evert and once to Dianne Fromholtz. At the Virginia Slims of Boston in March 1978, she beat Navratilova and Evert back-to-back to win the title.

Wimbledon 1980

In 1980, Goolagong won Wimbledon again, nine years after her first title. As a mother, she became the first mother to win the title in 66 years. It remains one of the most celebrated comebacks in the sport.

Fed Cup

She represented Australia in three Fed Cup competitions, winning in 1971, 1973 and 1974, and later served as Fed Cup captain for three consecutive years.

Career summary

Honours

Goolagong was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1972 and an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1982. She was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985, the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Aboriginal Sporting Hall of Fame in 1989.

After tennis

After retiring from professional tennis in 1983, Goolagong played senior invitational events, worked as a touring professional and held sports leadership roles.

Legacy

Goolagong's success came at a time when Aboriginal Australians faced discrimination and were rarely seen in elite sport. Her achievements made her a role model, and her legacy is visible in later champions, including Ash Barty, who has described Goolagong as her mentor and idol and serves as Tennis Australia's National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador. Read our Ash Barty guide.

Key dates

Playing style

Goolagong was famous for her movement and touch. She glided across the court, using slice, drop shots and volleys to unsettle opponents. Her relaxed demeanour made her a crowd favourite at Wimbledon and around the world.

Why she matters

Beyond titles, Goolagong changed perceptions. She showed that champions could come from anywhere, including small country towns and communities facing disadvantage. Her story is central to the history of Australian tennis.

Further reading

Goolagong Cawley's own accounts of her life, along with contemporary newspaper reports available through Trove, give the fullest picture of her career. Readers can also follow her links to the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame, which displays bronze busts of inductees in Garden Square at Melbourne Park.

Goolagong's record at a glance

Goolagong Cawley won 86 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including seven major singles titles, and 46 doubles titles, including seven major doubles titles. At 19 she won the French Open singles and the Australian Open doubles, the latter partnering Margaret Court. Her 1971 Wimbledon win made her the second woman in the Open Era to complete the Channel Slam, winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year. She is the only woman to have beaten Court, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in major finals.

Her 1980 Wimbledon title came after she had become a mother, and she was the first mother to win the title in 66 years. She represented Australia in three Fed Cup competitions, winning the title in 1971, 1973 and 1974, and later served as Fed Cup captain for three consecutive years. She retired from professional tennis in 1983.

Wiradjuri heritage and influence

Goolagong Cawley is of Wiradjuri descent, and her success made her one of the most prominent Aboriginal Australians of her generation. Many later players, including Ash Barty, have spoken of her as an inspiration. Her name is linked with programs that encourage Indigenous participation in tennis, and her career continues to be celebrated in Australian sporting history.

A note on sources

We check each fact on this page against the references listed below, and we remove claims we cannot verify rather than guess. Records in tennis are sometimes revised as historians study old results more closely, particularly for the amateur and professional tours before 1968. If you spot an error, please use our contact page and include a source, and we will review it. This guide is general historical information. It is not affiliated with any player, club or governing body.

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