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When someone loves something so much – and discover they are exceptional at it – it is difficult to let go even when everything around is saying ‘stop now’.
Illness and injury hovered over Alicia Molik’s career for multiple seasons and were, on the face of it, responsible for limiting her flourishing progress, and prompting more than one retirement.
In accepting the Tennis Australia Spirit of Tennis Award at a gala event in 2023, she said: “I think it’s a pretty darn amazing (tennis) community that we have.
“It’s quite incredible the people you meet, they’re remarkable individuals that keep this sport ticking. Well done to each and every one of you who still considers tennis to be a place of home.
“Congratulations to everyone here in the room … for your contribution to this wonderful sport of tennis. I love it. I love it.”
The love affair began at age six at one of Adelaide’s seaside clubs. When she couldn’t find anyone to hit with, she would ask her parents to drop her off at the club with a bucket of balls and she would serve on her own ‘for an hour and a half’.
What is it that she loves about the game? “The freedom tennis gives you is what I love. You are ultimately in charge of your own destiny on the singles court.”
Among all her extraordinary achievements – 22 ITF and WTA singles and doubles titles, a bronze at the 2004 Olympics and the 2005 Australian Open and 2007 French Open doubles – the one that stands above all else is the Olympic medal.
Playing for her country and winning the medal on behalf of Australia meant the world.
Alicia Molik reached the stratosphere with a world ranking of No. 8 in her mid-20s, playing against and with the elite of Martina Navratilova, and Venus and Serena Williams.
She smiles as she remembers stepping out onto the centre court of Wimbledon, the very court she’d seen on television as a kid.
She describes the occasion against Lindsay Davenport this way: “That was a really special court, so much history.” Davenport, who had been there before, explained the etiquette of curtsying to the royals who were seated in the Royal Box for the match.
The practice has since been discontinued, unless the king and queen are present.
After retiring due to illness, then making more than one comeback, Alicia Molik moved into TV commentary before she was chosen as head coach of Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as Fed Cup, where she brought elite leadership and enormous positivity to the team.
Her latest appointment, Tournament Director of the Adelaide International, has brought her “home” again, though she lives in Perth.
Alicia Molik is an inductee into the SA Sports Hall of Fame and the Tennis SA Legends Club and the recipient of Tennis Australia’s Spirit of Tennis Award.
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