Several former Billie Jean King Cup representatives reflected on their experiences at a Women and Girls breakfast at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
Brisbane, Australia, 12 April 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Former top-ranked Australian players served up plenty of inspiration at a Women and Girls breakfast at the Queensland Tennis Centre this morning.
Casey Dellacqua hosted a panel discussion with fellow former Billie Jean King Cup representatives Lisa Ayres (nee McShea), Jessica Moore and Annabel Taylor (nee Ellwood).
As well as sharing memories of representing Australia in the team competition, they spoke about the importance of having strong female role models and reflected on the biggest lessons gained from their respective careers.
An enthralled audience included graduates from Tennis Australia’s Women Leaders in Tennis and Learn 2 Lead programs, as well as coaches from across Queensland.
Dellacqua reiterated the importance of adopting a team approach in the sport.
“You need a community of people (around you),” said Dellacqua, a former world No.26 in singles and world No.3 in doubles.
“Having a group of people that you can call or rely on was so, so important for me. It enabled me to be the best player and person that I possibly can be.”
Moore spoke about the need for patience and perspective when chasing your dreams.
“Being originally from a small country town in WA, I had to relocate at a really young age,” related Moore, whose ranking peaked at world No.132 in singles and world No.52 in doubles during her career.
“At a young age we want things super quick, we want a result now, but it is a journey. It takes time, investment and hard work.”
Ayres, a former world No.139 in singles and world No.32 in doubles, emphasised the importance of “enjoying the journey”.
“In the early parts of my career I was very hard on myself,” she noted. “If I had a bad training session or bad match, it was like my life was ending.
“I learnt as a I got older it’s really important that you have to be resilient, but you also need to know nothing is going to happen overnight.
“You can’t judge yourself for a bad training session. You’re still a great person, you’ve still got a great life. Whether you win a tournament or lose first round, you’ve got to see your path for what it is and you have to be prepared for the highs and lows.”
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