Ash Barty and Dylan Alcott have split Australian tennis’ top prize, with both being awarded the Newcombe Medal at the 2021 Australian Tennis Awards.
It was fourth-consecutive gong for Barty, who won the Yarra Valley Classic and reached the quarters of the Australian Open, before a breakthrough success at Wimbledon, becoming the first Aussie woman to win the event since her mentor Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980.
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She then teamed up with John Peers to win Australia’s first-ever Olympic medal in mixed doubles, taking bronze.
She ended the calendar year with the coveted world number one ranking for the third straight year, joining Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Serena Williams as the only women to achieve this feat.
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In what continues to be a golden year for Alcott, the Grand Slam Wheelchair Tennis champion and Paralympic gold medallist, was presented with his second Newcombe Medal by Tennis Australia’s Head of Tennis Inclusion – Performance, Brenda Tierney.
Alcott, who announced his retirement last month, completed an amazing ‘Golden Slam’ in 2021, becoming the first man to capture all four Grand Slams and Paralympic gold in a single season.
RALLY4EVER founder Louise Pleming was also recognised during the virtual ceremony, receiving the Spirit of Tennis Award for “her unwavering commitment and service to tennis and the community”.
The full list of winners:
Newcombe Medal: Ashleigh Barty (Qld), Dylan Alcott (Vic)
Spirit Of Tennis: Louise Pleming (NSW)
Coaching Excellence – Club: Domenic Marafiote (ETKG Tennis Club, SA)
Coaching Excellence Development: Sam Wall (Coromandel Valley Tennis Club, SA)
Coaching Excellence Performance: Francois Vogelsberger (Vic)
Excellence in Officiating: Marko Savic (NSW)
Female Junior Athlete of the Year: Taylah Preston (WA)
Male Junior Athlete of the Year: Philip Sekulic (Qld)
Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability: Ben Weekes (NSW), Timothy Gould (Qld)
Most Outstanding Club: Fawkner Park Tennis Centre (Vic)
Most Outstanding Professional Tournament: Warrnambool Lawn Open (Vic)
Most Outstanding School: Cobdogla Primary School (SA)
Most Outstanding 35+ Tennis Senior: Glenn Busby (Vic), Sue Willis (ACT)
Volunteer Achievement Award: Liz Tektonopoulos (Greenvale Tennis Club, Vic)
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