Aussie tennis legend Pat Rafter makes rare public appearance at Queensland Sporting Awards

Australian tennis great Pat Rafter has made a rare public appearance at the 2024 Queensland Sport Awards, where he was officially elevated to legend status.

The 51-year-old, a two-time US Open Grand Slam winner, was awarded the highest honor an athlete can receive in the state when he was named a ‘Legend of Queensland Sport’.

“It means a lot to me… my name is now there forever,” Rafter said.

“When you’re working out, these things [awards] what you don’t think about, you just focus on what you are doing to get the best out of yourself. And then these come along and it’s just the icing on the cake.

“To see the athletes there being inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight as well, it’s just incredible,” he said.

Rafter, who has been retired for more than 20 years, now lives with his family in the Byron Bay hinterland, where he enjoys the quiet life.

The tennis champion was named ‘Legend of Queensland Sport’ at the ceremony

The father-of-two has been busy – his family has planted an estimated 7,500 native plants and trees on their 26-hectare property – as well as planting 10,000 eucalyptus trees in a bid to create a koala corridor and sanctuary.

“I really like working in the fields, and it takes up a lot of my time,” he told News Corp in May 2024.

“It’s very important to us to bring the property back to what it once was, and we’re doing it in segments.”

Seeing echidnas, bandicoots and swamp wallabies has become the norm, with Rafter and his wife Lara enjoying the quiet life.

Their children – Joshua, 21, and India, 18 – have moved because they want to launch their own careers and lives.

The former sports heartthrob, who reached world number one in 1999, also discovered his family has a criminal past.

The Rafter’s appeared on the SBS show Who Do You Think You Are? with a historian revealing that the tennis star’s paternal great-grandfather was often in trouble with the law.

David Dee’s family came to Australia from Ireland and settled in Townsville as free immigrants in 1875 – and the baker had a short fuse.

Rafter won two US Open titles in his career (pictured above, in the 1997 final) and was also world number one in 1999

Rafter now lives a relaxed life with wife Lara in the Byron Bay hinterland

Dee was once accused by police of using profanity, using the offensive words “bloody bastard and damned thug.”

Court appearances and physical altercations followed, before Dee was jailed for four years after fighting with another man.

His wife Teresa had five children to raise – and after finding love elsewhere with her husband behind bars, Dee sadly died in 1918, estranged from his children and alone in Cairns.

Rafter acknowledged that Dee had “made some really bad choices,” but he was still fascinated by hearing his early family history.

He also confirmed that he doesn’t play much tennis these days – but did compete in the recent Senior World Padel Championships in Spain – in the men’s 50-54 division.

Rafter also donated his time to The Big Freeze fundraiser at the MCG on June 10, before the AFL final.

The Big Freeze is an annual event hosted by FightMND, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

“Well, you know, it’s just supporting a great cause and a great cause, and I know a few people who have been affected by ALS and it’s a horrible, horrible disease,” he said.

Rafter was once named People’s Sexiest Athlete Alive, the same year he shot to fame after his first win at the 1997 US Open (pictured at the 1998 US Open)

“So I just want to jump on board and see what happens… It seemed like a great idea at the time,” he joked.

Pat was once named People’s Sexiest Athlete Alive, the same year he shot to fame after his first win at the 1997 US Open.

Since retiring, Pat became an underwear model for Bonds, a brand ambassador for the Mantra Group of hotels and a successful businessman.

He was named Australian of the Year in 2002, three years after winning the Davis Cup for his country.

After an impressive career, Pat was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.

His greatest achievements came at the US Open, where he won back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998, making him world number one. 1 status in 1999.