Australia, 3 May 2023 | tennis.com.au

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

The mission of the Ashley Cooper Scholarships, which were introduced last year, 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).

“Ashley was a legend of our sport who epitomised 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 Ashley Cooper Open Age Championships were also held at the Queensland Tennis Centre last month, with 490 players competing.

“We have seen great growth with the event in its second year,” 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.”

> VIEW: Results from the Ashley Cooper Open Age Championships

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.

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.

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

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