It was the summer of Omicron, and after two years of on-and-off quarantines, no one was happy about it. To put an end to this, black men across the country were trying to recover from yet another Invasion Day, with nationwide protests against black deaths in custody.
But we had something to look forward to at night. Ash Barty was taking the Australian Open by storm and bringing a nation with her. No one from this country had won the Open in more than four decades, but that looked set to change.
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A confession; I wasn’t a big tennis fan at the time, just a Barty fan. I was a small part of the “Barty party” and a relative latecomer; I joined the bandwagon during her incredible 2021 Wimbledon triumph, exactly 50 years after her mentor, Wiradjuri woman and tennis star Evonne Goolagong Cawley, did the same.
And, of course, part of the appeal of the Barty party was the joy of rallying around an athlete in the prime of her career, winning championship after championship. Another attraction was Barty’s pleasant post-match presence; he was calm, incredibly humble, and quick to flash a cheeky grin.
But for the mob, Barty’s appeal was much more than that. As a kid I had plenty of black athletes to look up to and I boasted distant family ties to NRL great David Peachey. But with the exception of Cathy Freeman (my idol), the culture of the time did not celebrate black female athletes in the same way.
Everything was different that summer. Barty dominated the world No. 1, competing on home soil. Everyone knew his name, everyone knew he was proud of his Ngarigo heritage; Claims that they were cousins were increasing by the minute.
On the final night, Barty faced American Danielle Collins. Not only would this be an incredible match (breaking TV ratings records, making it one of the most popular sports moments of the past two decades), but it would also be a defining moment for black women in sports.
Barty was in for a surprise after beating Collins in straight sets.
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Goolagong Cawley was unwell and told Barty before the tournament that he could not attend. But after he changed his mind at the last minute, a cloak and dagger plan was hatched to get him to Melbourne and the arena without anyone knowing.
“We have a special guest to present the finalist’s trophy,” said the announcer, and Goolagong Cawley came onto the field with a roar. Barty leaned forward in surprise, flashing a million-watt smile.
As if the arrival of a magical aunt wasn’t enough, the broadcast switched to Cathy Freeman, who was among the crowd taking photos on her phone in true proud aunt style. She was not just a spectator, but also a source of support, providing Barty with support.
“Cathy is incredible. I remember just a few years ago, I was talking to Cathy on the phone in tears after my loss in the semifinals and just chatting with her about her experiences,” Barty said at the time.
For me and many others, this moment was almost too much to bear. Seeing these three dear faces in a row, seeing three black women coming to congratulate each other, was a triple hit of serotonin. Watching from home and struggling to find words, I merely tweeted each of their names, using an uneven amount of exclamation points. One of my most popular tweets so far.
ASH!!! EVONNE!!! CATHY!!!!!
— Laura Murphy-Oates (@lauramoates) January 29, 2022
“Sometimes you have to stop and say I’m witnessing history right now,” said Emma Kemp, a sideline reporter for Guardian Australia.
“I really made it a point to stop for a few minutes and take it all in because… I think this will be one of those sports moments that goes down in history, much like Cathy Freeman’s 2000 Olympics. ” he told the Full Story podcast.
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Afterwards, Barty talked (in her usual humble way) about being a part of this moment and this legacy.
“I’m definitely not at their level,” he said. “Cathy and Evonne are extraordinary people, extraordinary athletes and have paved the way for so many of us. “I’m still in that category of trying to follow in their footsteps and be the best I can.”
Just a few months after the 2022 Australian Open, the Barty party came to a sudden and unexpected halt with the announcement that she would be retiring from tennis at the age of 25. Barty was “wasted”.
“I gave everything I could to this beautiful sport of tennis,” he said.
At a time when athletes like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles are taking time off from competition due to the demanding physical and mental toll, Barty’s decision could only be applauded.
I’m glad he gave us his best. I’m happy that he gave us that legendary night full of surprises, celebrations and joy.