Rivals at nine, teammates for Australia

Hope Johns (left) and Ava Garner at the airport, on their way to Jakarta.

In 2019, two nine-year-olds kept meeting each other across the net at tennis tournaments around Queensland. Both of them hated losing. Before long they stopped playing against each other and started playing together, and they've been doubles partners ever since.

Ava Garner and Hope Johns have now been teammates for most of their lives. They went through high school together in Brisbane and trained side by side in Tennis Australia's National Development Squad. Along the way they've built a record most players would be proud of:

2023: two national titles. They won the KDV 11U Teams event for Queensland and the Bruce Cup (Primary School Nationals).
2024: semi-finalists in the U12 Doubles at the National Clay Court Championships.
2026: third at the Pizzey Cup (Australian Secondary Schools Championships) in Perth, representing Queensland.
2026: winners of the Sawtell $8,500 Open Doubles in August.

A new court, a new challenge

Now they're starting something new. They'll wear the green and gold in padel, one of the world's fastest-growing racquet sports, as part of Australia's U16 Girls Padel Team at the Junior Asian Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia.

We're incredibly proud of how far we've come, but we know this is only the beginning. We can't wait to experience international competition, make more memories and continue our journey together on the padel court.

— Ava and Hope

Why we're backing them

What stands out about Ava and Hope isn't only the results. It's the partnership. Seven years of pushing each other, backing each other after a bad loss and celebrating each other's wins is the kind of teamwork we try to build every day.

Four people in white Allwis hoodies on a blue padel court in front of the net: Martin Kratky on the left, Ava Garner second from left, and Hope Johns on the right, with a teammate between them. — Allwis Managing Director Martin Kratky with Ava Garner (second from left) and Hope Johns (right) before they left for Jakarta.

I've watched how hard Ava and Hope work for each other on court, and that's what convinced me. Representing your country at sixteen takes years of early mornings and a lot of support behind the scenes. We're proud to be part of that.

— Martin Kratky, Managing Director, Allwis

Getting to an international tournament costs a lot of money and depends on support from the people around a player. We're glad to be part of that for two young Australians who have earned their spot.

Good luck in Jakarta, Ava and Hope. We'll be watching. 🇦🇺