Aussie Rules

Australia

 

At the end of the 18^th century, the population of Australia was approximately 350,000 people, and the majority of these were Indigenous Australians.  The figure had increased to almost four million by 1901.  There were two main reasons. Due to overcrowded prisons, large numbers of British and Irish convicts were sent by the British penal system to Australia, often for petty crimes.  The population exploded further following a series of gold rushes in the 1850s.

 

The Australian Open, originally known as the Australasian Championships, was first played in 1905.

 

Pat Cash preparing for Wimbledon in Carrickmines

 

 

Pat Cash reached the final of the Australian Open on two occasions. He was defeated in both finals by Swedes in five sets, (Edberg 1987 in and Wilander in 1988).

 

In 1987 he won Wimbledon singles title defeating Ivan Lendl in the final.

 

Pat Cash was a Davis Cup Champion on two occasions. In 1983, he became the youngest player to contest a final when he defeated Joakim Nystrom from Sweden in the decisive rubber. Australia won 3/2.

 

In 1986 Australia again defeated Sweden in the final and yet again Cash won the decisive rubber, this time in five sets against Mikael Pernfors.

 

 

Joakim Nystrom playing a low volley against Mikael Pernfors in Carrickmines.

 

Both Swedes lost the decisive rubbers to Cash in the Australian Davis Cup triumphs in 1983 and 1986.

 

Margaret Court with Margaret Ann Broderick while representing Ireland in Perth, in 1994. Margaret Ann was the backbone of many Carrickmines Class 1 league successes.

 

 

Margaret Court holds the record for Grand Slam wins over her career with 24 Singles, 19 Doubles, and 21 Mixed Doubles titles. She won more Grand Slam titles than any other player in history and is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

 

Her rivalry with Billie Jean King, on and off the court, was one of sport’s most fascinating duels, and both players contributed to the growth of tennis globally.

 

Court was a four-time Irish Open Champion at Fitzwilliam and won the doubles with Geraldine Barniville in 1966.

 

 

Australian Davis Cup hero, Wayne Arthurs.

 

 

Wayne Arthurs played in Carrickmines at the start of his career.

 

His father Derek was a Davis Cup player for Ireland before emigrating to Australia. While in Dublin, apparently an approach was made to the ILTA (now Tennis Ireland) about Wayne representing Ireland in the Davis Cup. It was suggested to him that he go out and prove himself on the tour first. He did and subsequently won the Davis Cup with Australia.

 

Throughout his singles career Arthurs experienced victory over no fewer than seven players who reached the number 1 world ranking: Pete Sampras, Marat Safin, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Patrick Rafter, Andy Roddick, Gustavo Kuerten and Stefan Edberg.

 

Australia Davis Cup Champions 2003

Todd Woodbridge, Wayne Arthurs, John Fitzgerald (Captain), Mark Phillppoussis and Llyton Hewitt.

 

 

Sporting icons Frank Sedgman, Ronnie Delany and Rod Laver.

 

 

Ronne Delany is a member of Carrickmines for nearly sixty years and is of course the Gold Medalist in the blue-ribbon event, the mile, in the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956.

 

Ronnie, a fine tennis player, is pictured with two of the all-time Australian greats Rod Laver & Frank Sedgman.

 

Rod Laver is the only player to win the Grand Slam – as an amateur in 1962 and as a professional 1969.  He was ranked world No. 1 in nine different years, an all-time record, and he won 11 Slams. Frank Sedgman was a five-time Slam winner with only the French eluding him when he was defeated by Drobny in the final.

 

Sedgman and Laver were joined by Ken Rosewall representing the Australian team in the Kramer Cup in Fitzwilliam in 1963.

 

The Kramer Cup 1963 a precursor to the Laver Cup first played for in 2017

BR: J.J Fitzgibbon, L. Ayala, A. Olmodo, A. Gimeno, C.A Kemp (Ref), K. Nielsen, R. Hailiet,

Davis, G F Read.

FR: B Mackey, E. Bucholz, T. Trabert, A. Robinson, FLTC President (also President of Carrickmines 1958-60), F. Sedgman, R. Laver and K. Rosewall

 

 

John Bartlett was an Australian Davis Cup member and defeated Harry Sheridan in the final of the County Dublin Championships in 1968.

 

He was a renowned doubles specialist winning the Australian Juniors in 1967 and twice qualifying for the ATP World Doubles Finals.

 

He had wins over many top players including Arthur Ashe, the 1975 Wimbledon Champion.

 

 

Igor Sijsling from Holland was the Irish Open Champion in 2019 in Carrickmines. He was a finalist in the Doubles in the 2013 Australian Open

 

 

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