Joan Hartigan Bathurst ('28)

On January 25 2022 at the Australian Open, ex-student and tennis great Joan Hartigan Bathurst (’28) was inducted into the Tennis Australia Hall of Fame.

In the 1930s, Joan Hartigan was the dominant force in Australian tennis, winning the Australian Ladies’ Championship in 1933, 1934 and 1936. She was the first Australian woman to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, which she did in both 1934 and 1935, ranking No.8 in the world at just 21 years of age, and touring with the Davis Cup team.

Joan was a stylish presence on the court with her visor and pleated dresses. She competed bare-legged, as it had recently become acceptable for female players to play without their stockings!

Born in Sydney, Joan attended Loreto Kirribilli from 1922-28. The family had a grass court at home, on which she would play with her father and friends. She won the Loreto Kirribilli Cup Lawn Tennis Singles Championship in 1927 and 1928.

Joan was a popular drawcard at a time when the presence of women in the sport was growing, with the 1930s seeing the introduction of girls’ singles and doubles and the first women line-judges.

Her on-court exuberance made her a popular player, idolised by school children who loved her hard-hitting forehand and light-hearted approach to the game. She loved returning to Loreto Kirribilli and spending time with the students and talking to them about the importance of doing the best in their sport.

Joan also enlisted in the Australian Army for a period during the Second World War. After the conflict, she married and lived most of her life in Sydney, before passing away at age 88 in 2000.

Joan’s contribution to tennis was recognised during the Australian Open women’s centenary celebrations, when she was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame alongside inaugural winner Margaret Molesworth.

According to her son, former Chief Justice of NSW Tom Bathurst AC, (LK ’54), “She always talked about winning the Australian Championships and she won it three times.

“People talked about her Wimbledon successes, but she loved the Australian Championships and it was her crowning achievement.

“The women’s tour is now headline at the Australian Open and that would have really pleased her, because she played only 10 years after women were allowed to play. She would mutter darkly about equal pay, but she was pleased with the advance of it.”

Joan's daughter Mary Cook (Bathurst, Loreto Normanhurst ’69) joined her brother and other family members at the Australian Open for the unveiling of Joan's statue. "We are immensely proud of her achievements."