In this video, Thelma gives her personal perspective on the Australian women's tennis team's 1938 tour to Europe.

She describes aspects such as ship travel, her team-mates, and attitudes to women athletes and women in general at the time.

Although she had been overseas once before (for her honeymoon with her husband, tennis great Harry Hopman), her 1938 trip with the Australian women's tennis team clearly meant a lot to Nell Hopman.

At the time, overseas travel was expensive and difficult and the funds to do so were usually reserved for male athletes, so it is perhaps not surprising that the opportunity was highly valued by Nell. She compiled photos taken by her, by her teammates and by press photographers into a beautiful leather-bound album, and gave each photograph a hand-written caption. The album gives an insight into the experience of being a young woman, but in particular being a top female athlete in the 1930s.

The album has been acquired by Tennis Australia, and will be preserved as part of its heritage collections. It is likely that this is the first of several albums documenting the tour because it only covers the tour up to the point the team went to Paris. If further albums emerged relating to the tour, they would be of strong interest for acquisition also.

"Whatever happens an Australian ladies team will generate great interest in England" (Adrian Quist in Table Talk, February 1938)

This portrait of the Australian women's tennis team, in their team uniforms, was made by renowned Melbourne photographer Athol Shmith. It shows the four team members (L to R) Eleanor 'Nell' Hopman, Dorothy Stevenson, Thelma Coyne (later Long) and Nancye Wynne (later Bolton). What this image highlights is the youth of these athletes and their excitement as talented but ordinary young women about to set out on a great overseas journey, representing their country.

In either 1938 or 1939 Shmith moved his studio premises from Fitzroy St Kilda to the Rue de la Paix building in Collins Street, Melbourne. Given that the women's tour departed in early 1938, it is tempting to suggest that this portrait was probably made in his St Kilda studio. However around this time Shmith had also done some advertising photography on location in the Myer Emporium department store. Alongside Shmith’s stamp, there is handwriting on the reverse of this photograph: ‘With the compliments of the Myer Emporium” linking this photograph (and Shmith) to that store as well, although the context is unknown.

While other copies of this image are known to exist, this copy is special having been autographed by all four team members.

"We are going to Europe to gather experience" (W.H. Walker in Colombo, 1938)

In 1938 young female athletes who wished to travel overseas for competition had to be suitably chaperoned. The 1938 team had a male team captain and manager in W.H. Walker, or 'Mr. Walker' to the girls. One member of the team, Nell Hopman was older than the others and had been overseas previously - for her honeymoon in 1934 - and so acted in the role of 'mother' to the other girls. In a London news article she affectionately scolded her team-mates: 'Arent they terrible children? They spend all their money on clothes...our luggage is swelling visibly!"

The images shows the team (L-R: Thelma Coyne, Nancye Wynne, Mr W.H. Walker, Nell Hopman, Dorothy Stevenson) shortly after boarding the Maloja for their journey to England, on March 8, 1938.

After the selection of tennis players had been announced for the Australian women's overseas tour, the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia also granted permission for them to use the Australian coat of arms on the pockets of their uniforms.

This was instead of the usual simple 'A' printed on the cardigans of female tennis representatives. The change was due to Nell Hopman who pointed out that the 'A' could stand for Africa, Austria or any other country whose initial letter was 'A'. Two weeks before their departure, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the uniforms would consist of 'cardigans with short sleeves, buttons up to the neck and a shirt collar'. The Association also granted 20 pounds to each of the four players to have apparel constructed and fitted for the trip.

At 3pm on the 8th March 1938, the P&O ocean liner Maloja departed from Station Pier at Port Melbourne, headed for England, a six-week journey with stops in Perth, Sri Lanka, India, Yemen and Malta.

The ship carried the Australian test cricket team and the Australian women's tennis team both travelling to compete in Europe.

Over 5,000 people crowded the dock to witness its departure. A journalist reported: 'cheers and coo-ees echoed off the waterfront when the Maloja backed rapidly from her berth, with hundreds of brilliant streamers breaking and falling in the bright sunlight..there was a special cheer from a little group ashore for the women's tennis team'.

In 1938 the Australian men’s cricket team travelled overseas on the P&O liner Maloja along with the Australian women’s tennis team. Both teams were headed to England to compete internationally.

Like the tennis team, the cricket team also stopped over in Colombo, Sri Lanka and played a one-day single-innings match there against the Ceylon national team. On the day it departed , the Argus called Melburnians to see off what it called the 'Sports Ship' from Station Pier, Port Melbourne. In this image, members from both teams relax together on the ship’s deck. According to the handwritten caption it depicts Lindsay Hassett, Nell Hopman, Arthur Chipperfield, Nancye Wynne and Thelma Coyne ‘sipping beef tea’.

In 1938 the Australian men’s cricket team travelled overseas on the P&O liner Maloja along with the Australian women’s tennis team.

Both teams were headed to England to compete internationally. Like the tennis team, the cricket team also stopped over in Colombo, Sri Lanka and played a one-day single-innings match there against the Ceylon national team. On the day it departed , the Argus called Melburnians to see off what it called the 'Sports Ship' from Station Pier, Port Melbourne. Don Bradman was then aged 29 and the captain of the Australian team. This is a relaxed portrait of one of Australia’s greatest sporting heroes just before his career was interrupted by World War II. A video attached to this story shows another image of Bradman seated at a table with his team-mate, Ben Barnett and members of the women's tennis team.

In 1938 the Australian women's tennis team travelled by ship to Europe to compete, a journey which took six weeks.

At this time the only way to reach England from Australia was by ship. The players did take their first airplane flight during the tour, but only between London and Paris. In this image, team member Dorothy Stevenson is about to be ceremonially ‘baptised’ in the ship’s swimming pool. The ritual was commonly performed on passengers who are crossing the equator for the first time. It was part of a larger equator-crossing ceremony, featuring King Neptune who welcomes initiates into his ‘slimy world’. Such ceremonies were often performed for the amusement of passengers on commercial liners, a sanitised version of centuries-old traditions in which sailors were initiated when crossing for the first time, sometimes with extreme physical trials.

"They were all fit and well, having had a splendid voyage so far... supplied with the fullest facilities for various forms of deck sport on board" (Sydney Morning Herald)

In April 1938, the papers reported that the team had landed for a stopover in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Pictured are (L-R) Thelma Coyne, Mr W.H. Walker, Nancye Wynne and Nell Hopman being transported to their hotel. In Colombo, the team played exhibition matches for the locals. Thelma played singles against a local girl and then the four played a doubles match. The stopover gave the team a chance to stretch their legs, enjoy a change of scenery and most importantly practice some tennis in preparation for England.

In 1938, the Australian women's tennis team traveled to Europe and the USA to compete internationally.

Given the six-week duration of the ship journey from Melbourne to England, the girls welcomed a stop-over in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where the team played exhibition matches for the locals. But the stopover also gave the team a chance to have time off the ship, see a new country, shop for silks and enjoy each other's company in the hotel pool. From front to back they are: Nell Hopman, Nancye Wynne, Dorothy Stevenson and Thelma Coyne.

In this image three members of the Australian women's tennis team stand with their host in England, Major D.C. Sloan-Stanley.

The scenic estate, called The Paultons, was built in the 14th Century and had been in the Sloan-Stanley family since that time. Its custodians, the Major and his wife Lady Cairns, generously hosted the Australian women while they were in England to compete. Although they were representing their country, funds for female athletes were very limited and would not have extended to hotel accommodation.

Other guests staying at the same time would have been interesting for the team. There was Helen Jacobs, a champion American tennis player who was then at the height of her career. There was Mr and Mrs L. Godfree, who were then the only married couple to have won Wimbledon as a doubles team. And the Australian girls were driven to and from their tournaments by Colonel Bowes-Lyon, an uncle of Queen Victoria.

Nancye Wynne (later Bolton) was a member of the Australian women's tennis team which competed overseas in 1938.

Here she shown is playing a match in England. A London newspaper at the time reported: 'Towering above the petite stars of lawn tennis this season will be a tall white-hatted girl, Nancye Wynne of Australia, the player with the lucky name for she is a winner. Her one ambition has been to see the world and that is one of the reasons she has worked so hard at the game'.

Aged 22 on the tour, Nancye was the first Australian woman to play a Grand Slam final abroad at the 1938 US Championships. In her long career Nancye also won 20 Australian titles.

In this video, Neale Fraser explores the image archives of Tennis Australia and reminisces about some highlights of his extensive involvement in Davis Cup tennis, and tennis in general.

The Australian Davis Cup team having a break court-side in Brisbane at the 1958 Davis Cup final.

The final was played at the Milton Courts in Brisbane, Australia on 29–31 December. The USA defeated defending champions Australia in the Challenge Round. Pictured are (L-R): Harry Hopman (team manager), Neale Fraser, Roy Emerson, Lew Hoad, Ashley Cooper, Mal Anderson (in chair). The American team was composed of Alex Olmedo, Ham Richardson, and Barry MacKay, captained by Perry T. Jones.

The Davis Cup is an annual international tennis competition played between nations.

It was founded by Dwight Davis in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the USA, but later expanded to included countries from every continent. In its first 75 years, the competition was dominated by England, Australia, France and the USA, which explains the location of the four annual 'Grand Slam' or major tournaments.

In 1973, Australia defeated the USA to regain the Davis Cup. The squad had four players - Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Ken Rosewall and Mal Anderson - but only Laver and Newcombe played the final in Cleveland, Ohio. Neale Fraser, who was the team's non-playing captain-coach, the moment of victory and being handed the huge silver trophy is a career highlight and a fond memory. To the right of Neale Fraser is Wayne Reid, who was then President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia. He was later a founding director at the Australian Institute of Sport.

In the 1970s, it was not unusual for one country to conduct the draw to decide the schedule for competition between competing countries in their zone.

This draw is most likely in Brisbane, as indicated by the 4BC microphone. Wayne Reid, then President of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia is overseeing the draw. Behind him is Cliff Sproule, a referee as well as Neale Fraser, Tony Roche, Ross Case and John Newcombe.

“I spent three very enjoyable years with the Federation Cup team. In those days Federation Cup was a knockout tournament played in virtually a week. There was one in Philadelphia, we made it to the final and then lost to America. But I had three wonderful years with the girls. I always remember happy memories and I'm still friends with the girls." - Neale Fraser in 2015.

In 1976, Australia had beaten Romania, Belgium, West Germany and Great Britain to face the US team in the final. Kerry Reid won her singles rubber against Rosemary Casals, but Billie Jean King was too strong for Cawley. The Australians also lost the doubles, allowing the USA to be victorious and take the Federation Cup for 1976. Neale Fraser was captain-coach of the team in 1976, 1977 and 1978. Pictured are (L to R) Neale Fraser, Kerry Reid, Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat, Evonne Goolagong Cawley.

The Australian Davis Cup squad in Perth in 1977.

The players in official team tracksuits are (L-R) John Alexander, Ray Ruffels, Neale Fraser, Phil Dent and Mark Edmonson. At far right in the white tracksuit is trainer and physiotherapist Stan Nicholls. Neale Fraser started to visit Nicholls at the age of 16 at Frank Fenleys gym in Little Collins Street, Melbourne. “To my mind he was the greatest physio, mentor and trainer. We got him on board. He was a great help to all the boys”.

At far left is Jim Dewar, a tennis enthusiast, who became an great friend of Neale Fraser. They became acquainted through Jim coming to watch pennant tennis matches. After Jim’s wife passed away, he began to travel a lot and was invited to work as a volunteer assistant to the Davis Cup squads. “He enjoyed the company of the players and we tried to include him wherever we could” explained Neale Fraser.

"This is in the years of our Esso sponsorship which we were lucky to get in the early 70s. Sponsorship was very hard to come by." (Neale Fraser in 2015)

Protecting himself from the heat with an improvised headress, Australian tennis player Phil 'Philby' Dent (on left, with team captain Neale Fraser) is also sporting a branded t-shirt. The oil and petroleum company Esso were one of the first to jump on the opportunity offered by the popularity of tennis in Australia. Wayne Reid, then President of the Lawn Tennis Association, credited Neale Fraser with engaging Esso as sponsors, but also recognised that the company had spotted the opportunity. He said "an Esso director told me that, as an Australian company..they wanted to become identified with Australian sport". The new opportunities were made possible by the advent of the 'Open era' which allowed players to play for prize money (and sponsorship). Previously, players could only participate in major tournaments if they were amateurs, and the only prizes were trophies.