Brisbane, 11 April 2023 | Tennis Queensland

A new crop of Aussie tennis players are set to benefit from the Ashley Cooper Scholarship, established in honour of tennis legend Ashley Cooper AO to help young tennis players deliver on their elite potential.

Talented young players Adam Walton, Dane Sweeny, Blake Ellis, Derek Pham, Petra Hule, Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz, Taylah Preston and Ivana Popovic have been awarded the scholarship this year for displaying the great attitude, values, and prowess that Cooper was known for.

“Ashley was a legend of our sport who epitomized the values of hard work, dedication, a willingness to help others and giving back to the sport he loved so much,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said.

“These are the qualities we look for when selecting the young athletes to be awarded, and the 2023 recipients of the Ashley Cooper scholarship certainly reflect this.”The announcement coincides with the 2023 Ashley Cooper Open Age Championships, hosted at the Queensland Tennis Centre from tomorrow, 12 -16 April 2023.

“We have seen great growth with the event in its second year, with an impressive 490 players with 660 entries for 2023,” Tennis Queensland Head of Competitive Play, Emma Creighton said.

“It is important to celebrate great Queensland champions such as Ashley Cooper and continue their legacy for future generations to be inspired by.”

Blake Ellis a recipient of the 2023 scholarship will also present trophies to the winners of the Ashley Cooper Open Age Championships event.

The mission of the Ashley Cooper scholarship is to enable aspiring professional players to realise their full potential by assisting with some of the financial challenges associated with international competition.

This scholarship is supported by the friends and family of Ashley Cooper and the Australian Tennis Foundation (ATF).

2023 Ashley Cooper Scholarship recipients

• Adam Walton (Home Hill, QLD)
• Dane Sweeny (Mountain Creek, QLD)
• Blake Ellis (Dutton Park, QLD)
• Derek Pham (Graceville, QLD)
• Petra Hule (Pennington, SA)
• Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz (Glengowrie, SA)
• Taylah Preston (Hocking, WA)
• Ivana Popovic, Bonnyrigg, NSW)

About Ashley Cooper AO

Ashley Cooper played in the golden era of Australian men’s tennis during which he won eight Grand Slam titles including the Australian, Wimbledon and US singles titles in 1958.

He was a right-handed, serve-and-volley player who was especially effective against left-handed opponents.

After a short professional career, Cooper returned to Brisbane where he had a successful business career and then served Tennis Queensland and Tennis Australia as an administrator.

In his role as President of Tennis Queensland he oversaw the creation of the world-class Queensland Tennis Centre, including the jewel in the crown, Pat Rafter Arena. During his tenure, the old Milton courts were demolished and a new tennis centre built on the site of an abandoned power station.

Throughout his life Cooper was honoured for the roles he played, including the Order of Australia, International and Australian Tennis Halls of Fame and Queensland Sports Hall of Fame. The Rod Laver Walking Bridge leads from Yerongpilly Rail Station to The Ashley Cooper River Walk, giving visitors access to the Queensland Tennis Centre.

Ashley Cooper passed away in May 2020 following a long illness. He was aged 83.

For more information on the Ashley Cooper Open Age Championships please click here.