Hale School is celebrating the remarkable achievement of Old Haleian Matt Ebden (2004), who has won a gold medal for Australia in the men’s tennis doubles at the Paris Olympics. This victory, secured alongside his partner John Peers, is a historic moment, marking the first time an Australian duo has reached the men’s doubles final since the Sydney 2000 Olympics. For Hale, this triumph is particularly special, as Matt becomes the first Old Haleian to win an Olympic medal in two decades.
Matt’s journey to Olympic glory began long before his days on the world stage. Attending Hale from 2001 to 2004, it was evident early on that Matt possessed great talent on the tennis court. Although he was involved in other sports and excelled academically, tennis was where he truly shone. Matt broke new ground as the first Year 8 student to represent Hale in the 1st VIII tennis team, a testament to his exceptional ability. His dedication and skill saw him winning multiple tennis awards throughout his time at Hale. As Captain of Tennis, Matt led by example, earning Honours in the sport and laying the foundation for his future success.
In 2020, Matt returned to Hale to speak at our Senior School Speech Day. He shared his insights on passion, purpose, persistence and perseverance — qualities that have clearly guided him to the pinnacle of his sport.
The golden day on clay in Paris not only brought glory to Australia but also rekindled memories of past tennis legends. Matt and John’s victory is the first Olympic gold in tennis doubles for Australia since Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge’s triumph at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. Their win is a proud moment for our Hale community and all Australians. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Matt and look forward to celebrating more of his achievements in the future.
