100 Year's of Women's Tennis

In 2022 the Australian Open celebrates 100 years of women’s competition at the highest level of the sport.

The first champion, Margaret Molesworth (NSW) who won the inaugural women’s Australian Championships singles title in 1922 and again in 1923, along with three-time winner during the 1930s, Joan Hartigan (NSW), will be inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame.

Both women were acknowledged as being among the world’s top 10 during their careers, a significant achievement when so few women were able to compete at a high level in any sport. Molesworth was Australia’s first female professional tennis coach, and both she and Hartigan contributed to the sport, inspiring more girls and women to take up tennis.

The women’s semifinal will move to prime time in 2022, with both matches to be played in the night session on Thursday 27 January, in a major shift to the schedule.

In 2021 the Australian Open was won by Naomi Osaka and the current Australian and world number 1 tennis player, Ashley Barty will be hoping to make her mark on the tournament this year.

With thanks to the Australian Open for this information and use of video.