Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to congratulate Samantha Stosur on her historic win in this year's US Tennis Open. It was an emphatic victory that will give a real boost to Australian tennis and, hopefully, spawn a new decade of future champions. Sam is the first Australian female to win a grand slam singles title since Evonne Goolagong took home the Wimbledon trophy in 1980, and the first Australian female to take home the US Open since Margaret Court in 1975. With Margaret Court winning 18 US open titles—five singles, five doubles and eight mixed doubles—over her career, Sam has a hard record to beat, but having won the US Open Doubles in 2005, she has two titles and is now on her way.

With her big serve and attacking hardcourt game, Sam had a remarkable tournament. Like all great tournament victories, the final is the icing on the cake after a hard fought two-week campaign. It should not be forgotten that in the third round Sam defeated Nadia Petrova 7-5 in the third set after a three-hour-16-minute battle. The second set tie-break of 17-15 is the longest in any major in the history of women's tennis. Sam showed great class in the final against three-time champion Serena Williams. When Serena lost her cool, Sam kept hers. No doubt the 23,000 fans packed into the Arthur Ashe Stadium were hoping for a hometown victory, particularly on the symbolic 10th anniversary of September 11, but they cannot be left in any doubt that the best player on the day won. Sam came to win and never let the sense of occasion disrupt her game plan. With a $1.8 million winners' cheque and a rising world ranking, this 27-year-old Queenslander has the tennis world at her feet. Long gone are the memories of last year's loss in the French Open final, for now Sam is a grand slam champion. No-one will ever be able to take that away from her. Many people in my electorate of Kooyong are great sport lovers and participants, and they join me in congratulating Sam on her wonderful sporting achievement. It is a victory that will be celebrated by hundreds of tennis players in the local clubhouses of Grace Park, Kew Heights, Kew, North Kew, Hawthorn, South Hawthorn, Deepdene, Canterbury, Balwyn Park, North Balwyn, Willison Park, Camberwell Junction, East Camberwell, Camberwell United, City of Camberwell, South Camberwell, St Dominic's Parish, Boroondara Tennis Centre, Sacred Heart and Victoria Park. No doubt my friends at the home of tennis, the Kooyong Tennis Club, will also be celebrating for Sam is a welcome visitor down there. Congratulations again, Sam Stosur. You have done us all proud and deserve every accolade that comes your way for this historic sporting achievement.

See this speech in context