GOOLAGONG, EVONNE (Evonne Fay Goolagong)
Australia
Born 31 July 1951 in Griffith, New South Wales, Australia
Married Roger Anson Cawley, 19 June 1975
Nickname: "The Gong"
[Active 1966-1983]
Perhaps the most beloved of champions with 7 major singles titles to her credit. Usually played as Goolagong (rather than Cawley) even after marriage. Not to be confused with the other Mrs Cawley (nee Gourlay).
Australia's second greatest player of all time. In addition to her singles successes, Goolagong also won five Grand Slam doubles titles, including Wimbledon (1974) and also the French mixed doubles championship (1972). She is the only Australian woman to have attained the #1 position on the WTA computer rankings, albeit briefly, in 1976.
Partly aboriginal, Evonne's natural talent was evident to coach Vic Edwards, who took her out of the country to Sydney. His influence over her was all-encompassing, going as far as becoming her legal guardian from the age of 11.
Goolagong made her first overseas tour in 1970. Her progress was so rapid that Edwards predicted she would become a Wimbledon champion by 1974.
Evonne easily surpassed Vic's estimate in 1971. Starting the year by reaching the Australian final; she barely lost to her idol Margaret Court. When Court fell early at the French it was Goolagong who won the title. Then came the fairy tale fortnight at Wimbledon. Back to back upsets of world #1 Court and then #2 Billie Jean King shattered their hold on the women's game. Edwards refused to take her to America for the US Open, depriving his charge of the opportunity to reach reach the final in all four majors. Most polls put her #1 for the yeer over Billie Jean King.
1971 changed her life forever. Fans around the world found her utterly charming, unwilling to argue calls, and playing with a natural abandon as if winning or losing mattered not at all. Even her lapses in concentration, which Evonne labeled 'Walkabouts", became part of her appeal.
The next few years were her finest. In 1972 she made 3 slam finals, but lost them all, as King got revenge at the French and Wimbledon. Her semifinal win over Chris Evert at Wimbledon was an instant classic, heralding the new superstars of the women's game. The Evert-Goolagong encounters were the rivalry of the 1970s. More often than not crowds cheered for Evonne over Chris, even in the United States.
72 also made history when Evonne Goolagong and Arthur Ashe became the first nonwhites to play the South African Open. While Ashe espoused racial equality and justice, Goolagong was apolitical, downplaying her heritage. She would remain indifferent to contentious issues like women's lib and equal prize money to the end of her career.
Goolagong stayed away from the Virginia Slims tour, as she (or should we say Vic Edwards) could command huge appearance fees. When Evonne defeated Chris Evert at Romethe significance of the event went unnoticed at the time. Evert would not lose another match on clay until 1979. Near the end 1973 she lost a three set final to Margaret Court at the US Open, the only Grand Slam singles she would fail to capture.
Evonne finally captured her first Australian Open crown in 1974 over Chris Evert. Hoping to go to France to pursue the Grand Slam, she was banned by the French for joining World Team Tennis. For perhaps the one and only time in her career there is evidence of some bitterness on Evonne's part, for she refused to enter the event again until 1982. Once again the US Open slipped through her fingers, as Goolagong lost 7-5 in the 3rd set to Billie Jean King.
1975 was a year of romance and change. Evonne won the Australian again by beating up and coming Martina Navratilova. When presented with the trophy she broke down in tears, having lost her father just weeks earlier when he was killed by car walking late at night. In love with British businessman Roger Cawley, Evonne's coach Vic Edwards ordered her to abandon the romance. Evonne abandoned Vic instead. Though some results listed her as Mrs Cawley, Evonne clearly preferred Goolagong for business reasons
Predictions her game would fall apart without the Svengali influence of Edwards were quickly proven wrong in 1976, perhaps her most consistent year. Winning the Aussie for the 3rd time, Evonne won the Virginia Slims title in a thrilling 3 setter over Chris Evert. When they met at Wimbledon the result was reversed, Evonne losing 8-6 in the final chapter. It was her first loss to Evert on grass. At the US Open she was crushed by Evert on the slow green clay. 3 of Evonne's 4 US Open finals went to the final set. She shares a record with Bjorn Borg in reaching the most US finals without a victory.
Late in 1976 pregnancy forced Evonne to drop off the tour. On her return it seemed as if nothing had changed, as she captured her 4th Australian title in late 1977. Her body was not quite up to the task however, as injuries plagued her after her comeback. Her last real year of tennis was 1983, with a one off event in 1985 that she was forced to retire from.
One last moment of glory before we leave her resume. In 1980 all her genius flowed again at Wimbledon. In what was almost a mirror of 1971 she beat the world's #1 and #2 players back to back over Tracy Austin and Chris Evert before crowds in raptures. She was the first mother to win Wimbledon since Doothea Lambert Chambers last did it in 1914. The 9 year gap between 1971 and 1980 a record for winning majors in singles at the same event.
In general Evonne played an aggressive game. Her backhand drive was penetrating and varied. The forehand could be dodgy at times. Her first serve and overhead were extremely strong; the second serve often broke down under pressure. Graceful beyond compare, Evonne's daring half volleys and angled backhand overheads often brought gasps of delight from the stands. Many compared her game to Maria Bueno in grace and beauty, although Evonne lacked Bueno's air of haughtiness.
After several years as living as an expatriate in Hilton Head Evonne picked up stakes with her family and moved back to Australia. She is now active in promoting tennis for Aboriginals, embracing her heritage.
GRAND SLAM RECORD
Australian Champion 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, Finalist 1971, 1972, 1973
French Champion 1971, Finalist 1972
Wibledon Champion 1971, 1980, Finalist 1972, 1975, 1976
US Finalist 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976
TOURNAMENT WINS (include)
Virigina Slims Champs 1974, 1976
Italian Open 1973
South African Open 1972
Canadian Open 1972, 1973
Irish Open 1972
Japan Open 1973
NZL Open 1973, 1974
US Indoor 1973, 1979
NSW Champs 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977
VIC Champs 1971, 1972
SA Champs 1972, 1973
QLD Champs 1974
WA Champs 1972
NSW Hardcourts 1971
Scooping up a half-volley.
Evonne in 1976
Links and Sources:
Evonne! On the Move. by Evonne Goolagong with Bud Collins. 1975 (190 pages). [Little of this book is in Evonne's real voice]
Home! The Evonne Goolagong Story. by Evonne Goolagong Cawley & Phil Jarratt. 1993. (400 pages). [The best source of her by far, in Evonne's own voice]
http://www.tennisforum.com/59-blast-past/10403-evonne-goolagong.html
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Blast Girl II:Goolagong - TennisForum.com (Career Stats)
http://www.tennisforum.com/59-blast-past/80867-reminisce-evert-vs-goolagong.html
http://www.tennisforum.com/59-blast-past/222090-evonne-goolagong-tennis-mag-article-1976-a.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evonne_Goolagong_Cawley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evonne_Goolagong_career_statistics
World Rankings:
1970: #10 according to Rino Tomassi-not on any other top ten lists
1971: #1
1972: #2
1973: #4
1974: #3
1975: #3 (#5 on the computer)
1976: #2
1978: #3
1979: #4
1980: #4
[Thanks to GeeTee and Rollo for this information]
