IF FLAGSTAFF Freighters tennis veteran Louise Stacey lines up in the Asia-Pacific Tennis League finals this week she will consider it a major feat
Not because the Magill resident last played at Melbourne Park two decades ago during an Australian Open doubles match.
Nor because the mother of three will be twice as old as many of her ATL teammates and opponents.
Stacey, 41, was rushed to hospital last week to have her appendix removed after suffering severe stomach pain the previous day.
At the time of print, Stacey remained unsure if she could recover to play doubles during the Freighters’ finals campaign which kicked off this week.
But she was hopeful of playing a part in the tournament, set to feature the best clubs in Australia and a New Zealand team.
“It’s frustrating, really disappointing … but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Stacey said last week.
“I don’t know what I’ll do yet … hopefully I’m all right.
“It’ll mean a great deal for me to play a part in it but it’ll just be fantastic for the club to be there.”
Stacey’s tennis journey began as a seven-year-old at courts at Torrensville close to where she grew up.
She went on to become a star junior, winning the 12-and-under national championships, playing in the Australian Open junior final and sharing the court with future greats Monica Seles and Jennifer Capriati.
Her senior professional career, which ended in 1994, included playing in all four Grand Slams.
“Wimbledon was special – to tennis players it is what Olympic Games are to most people,” Stacey said.
Locally, she lost just two matches in SA from 1987-2002 and was ranked No.1 in the state for that entire period.
Earlier this month, she was inducted into the SA Tennis Hall of Fame. (Tennis SA Legends Club)
“It’s a privilege to be among those greats and it’s fantastic to be recognised,” Stacey said.
Stacey was appointed the Freighters’ senior coach last year and played doubles as they took out the ATL’s SA conference in November.
Stacey is unsure whether the ATL finals will be her swansong as a player.
“If it is and we win it’d be a great way to end,” she said.
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