Former world number eight tennis player – and Eagles football fan – Alicia Molik has joined the 9News Perth team as its weekend sports presenter, replacing Matthew Pavlich who has been appointed CEO of the Sydney Swans.
Alicia’s career includes a career-high world ranking of No. 8 in singles and Grand Slam doubles titles at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
She remains the only Australian to win an Olympic singles medal in tennis, a feat achieved at the 2004 Athens Games.
While it might be tennis that brought Alicia to the attention of the world, she says all sport is in her DNA. Even if she hadn’t taken up the role with Nine her weekends would be immersed in sport.
And that will be a valuable thing as she combines a role as expert commentator for the world’s major tennis tournaments for the Nine Network with coverage of all the sporting events Perth viewers are keen to keep up to date on.
“I live and breathe sports, so this is a great fit,” Alicia says.
“And of course, it’s a nice meshing, a great link with the Australian Open and of course, Wimbledon and the coverage of Nine through those events.
“Growing up I was not so much part of a sporting family, but lived in a street full of eight boys and me in terms of neighbours, I grew up playing every sort of sport. It is something that I absolutely love.
“On Friday nights, you won’t be able to get me out for a dinner. I’ll be on my couch at home watching Friday Night Footy. That’s a favourite of mine.”
Alicia says she is particularly passionate about sport here in Western Australia.
And even though she is an Eagles football fan you will more often find her at the local footy.
“I’m a big Claremont fan which is quite family friendly. I have two young children so that means they can get up close and personal to the players and get to know them.
“We have the two season tickets for the West Coast Eagles. Our children, Yannik (14) and Mieka (11), actually get to select the parent they want to go with. They alternate each week or every second week.
Alicia grew up in Adelaide where she followed Port Adelaide before its inception into the AFL, following in the footsteps of her father who was a big Port fan.
And when she moved to Melbourne to further her tennis career, she says she followed the AFL there very closely.
“I used to train and do my gym work over at the VAS (Victorian Institute of Sport) with Collingwood as well. So I got to know those troops pretty well.
“And then, of course, being home here now in Perth, West Coast is very, very close to our hearts. But look, I’m a footy lover. I love a hotly contested game.
“I keep telling people even when the Eagles are playing, I still love it to go down to the wire. That’s pretty bad, isn’t it?
“I haven’t been lucky enough to get too many down to the wire recently, but there’s always next season. There’s always a new weekend and there’s always a new 24 hours in sport. It moves pretty quickly.”
Alicia continues to be passionate about tennis commentary; she loves covering the events that mean the most to her, particularly the Australian Open.
“And Wimbledon, too, is still an event that I love to cover. I have worked on that for many years now. I just think it’s linked to Australia, because there are so many grass courts here in Western Australia. I still play a lot of tennis on grass.”
She is still involved in tennis at an administration level with the Adelaide International.
Alicia will be working alongside regular sport presenter Paddy Sweeney.
“It’s been so many years now that I’ve watched Paddy and obviously in the past, Matthew Pavlich as well.
“Paddy has given me not just plenty of tips, but great words of wisdom and advice.”
Alicia says she is keen to bring her bubbly self to the screen which she hopes will provide some variety for viewers.
The new role brings with it a different style to the tennis commentary we’re used to seeing from Alicia. The nature of matches, and the unpredictability, make it a little different to the more structured news reading role.
“I think the difference being in a sports commentary role, is we have those very short, sharp, 25 second pockets of time where three people in a commentary box need to get their lines out, their words, their tones and their description of the action to the viewer at home.
“And I think that’s the difference. News is a little more scripted.”
Alicia says she is excited to get started.
“And alongside Paddy, we’ll continue to bring a wide array of sporting stories to Western Australia and those who love their sport and their news here in Perth.
“We want to bring that personal touch and we want to feel trusted and believed.
“I think people want a connection. They want to feel that they know someone, and like someone. So I think it’s about bringing our genuine selves as well, which Paddy does, and which is really my goal in my new role here.”
Alicia brings with her a wealth of experience through playing professional tennis and commentary.
“I have time under my belt, not just with the tennis industry, but across a number of sports. I love speaking to sports people, to coaches. That’s probably where I feel my most comfortable.”
