Matt Ebden’s stellar 2024 tennis season, which included Olympic gold in the men’s doubles in Paris, has been recognised with the veteran named a joint winner of the Newcombe Medal.
Former world No.1 doubles star Ebden shared the top honour at the Australian Tennis Awards with the country’s best player, Alex de Minaur, who achieved a career-high world No.6 ranking in a year of sustained excellence.
Lleyton, Cruz and Bec Hewitt on the blue carpet.Credit: Eddie Jim
The status of Gold Coast siblings Hayden and Emerson Jones as the future of Australian tennis was confirmed when they were named as male and female junior players of the year.
Hayden pipped Cruz Hewitt, the son of Australian great and Davis Cup captain Lleyton, for the boys’ award.
Cruz, who secured his first professional win at the age of 15 in August, was accompanied by his parents, Lleyton and Bec, at the glamorous event at Crown Palladium.
Emerson Jones is Australia’s first junior world No.1 girl since Jelena Dokic in 1998, while Hayden holds a junior ranking of 13.
Hayden and Emerson JonesCredit: Getty Images for Tennis Australia
Their parents are Loretta Harrop, an Olympic silver medallist in triathlon at the 2004 Athens Games, and Brad Jones, who has won the QAFL’s highest individual honour, the Grogan Medal.
It was little surprise that de Minaur took out a third “Newk” after reaching three consecutive grand slam quarter-finals and becoming the first Australian to play the ATP Finals in two decades.
Ebden, 37, picked up his first Newk – awarded annually to Australia’s most outstanding elite player and ambassador for tennis – after winning the Australian Open doubles title, climbing to the world No.1 doubles ranking and teaming with countryman John Peers to win gold in Paris.
World No.9 de Minaur, who cruelly had to pull out of his Wimbledon quarter-final against Novak Djokovic with a hip injury, was rapt to share the medal.
John Peers and Matthew Ebden with their Olympic gold medals at Roland Garros.Credit: Getty Images
“I’m so proud and happy to win the Newcombe Medal award again, and want to say how much I appreciate it, and also being able to share it with Matt,” de Minaur said via video link from London where he is playing an exhibition event before launching his Australian Open campaign next month.
“It’s been an incredible year for Australian tennis and I’m just so happy to be part of it. I’d like to congratulate Matt, who’s done amazing things this year, and his team – the Olympic gold medal was a highlight, as well as all the other nominees tonight.”
It was a remarkable year for Australian tennis. Nine men’s players are in the world’s top 100 with three stars – de Minaur, Jordan Thompson and Alexei Popyrin – poised to be seeded at the Australian Open, starting at Melbourne Park on January 12.
The Newcombe Medal nominees included de Minaur, Popyrin, Ebden, Thompson, Peers, Max Purcell and the country’s highest-ranked women’s player, Olivia Gadecki.
Ebden and Peers won Australia’s first Olympic gold since “the Woodies” – Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde – in Atlanta nearly 30 years ago.
Australian doubles champion Storm Hunter.Credit: Getty Images for Tennis Australia
“Alex’s rise into the world’s top 10 is a remarkable accomplishment and a true reflection of his tireless work ethic and ability to overcome challenges. Watching him grow as a player and push the boundaries of his potential has been nothing short of inspiring,” said Newcombe.
