Todd Woodbridge reveals why he never wanted his children to follow him into tennis — and the heartbreaking lesson he learned as a father
After conquering the tennis world and building a successful television career, Todd Woodbridge has admitted there is one challenge he is still learning to navigate — knowing when to step back and let his children find their own way.
The Tipping Point host and former tennis champion, 55, shares two children with his wife of 31 years, Natasha: 25-year-old daughter Zara and 23-year-old son Beau.
And while Todd spent decades competing at the highest level of professional tennis, he revealed he never wanted his children to follow him onto the same court.
The moment that left Todd “emotional”
Todd recently opened up about one of the toughest moments he has experienced as a parent.
His son Beau, who is pursuing a career in musical theatre and is now based in London, had landed the role of Evan in the Australian tour of Dear Evan Hansen.
But ahead of the final week of performances, Beau was struggling with his voice and his health.
“He really wanted to do the last week of shows and struggled,” Todd explained.
Beau was staying at home with his parents while working with a vocal coach each morning. But repeatedly, he was told he could not perform.
For Todd and the family, watching him desperately want to be on stage while knowing he needed to rest became incredibly difficult.
“The psychology that was happening in our household was so tough,” Todd recalled.
Todd could only watch from the sidelines
For a father used to solving problems and competing at the highest level, there was little he could do.
“He was hurting because you want to be there [for the show] but you can’t,” Todd said.
Eventually, Beau managed to step up and deliver the performance he had been hoping for.
Todd described watching his son push through the difficult period as “one of the most resilient things” he had ever seen.
“I got very emotional because we at home had been through hell and back for him, but you couldn’t tell him,” he admitted.
The experience also gave Todd a new perspective on his own childhood.
“Now I know how my parents felt”
Todd suddenly found himself understanding his own parents in a completely different way.
“And now I know how my parents felt when they were watching me in my career,” he said.
There was also an unexpected parallel.
Todd left Australia at 24 to pursue professional tennis overseas. Beau has now followed a remarkably similar path — only his stage is the theatre rather than the tennis court.
“He’s doing exactly what I did, just in a different form of entertainment,” Todd reflected.
Why Todd “never wanted” his kids to play tennis
Despite spending much of his life on the tennis circuit, Todd said he “actually never wanted” his two children to pursue the sport professionally.
His reasoning was deeply personal.
“It’s hard to step out of your parents’ shadow in the thing they do well,” he explained.
Rather than encouraging his children to replicate his achievements, Todd and Natasha wanted them to have the freedom to discover their own passions.
“I think our goal as parents was to give the kids as many opportunities as possible and let them choose the one they wanted.”
Zara is forging her own path too
Their daughter Zara, 25, has also chosen a very different direction.
Todd proudly revealed that she is close to becoming a fully qualified nutritionist after spending a year living and studying overseas.
She is also an accomplished golfer, having competed at the highest level of women’s amateur golf.
With Beau pursuing theatre in London and Zara building her own career, Todd and Natasha are entering a very different stage of family life.
The lesson Todd is still learning
For Todd, perhaps the hardest part of parenting now is accepting that his children’s journeys ultimately belong to them.
“I have to be aware of butting out. Because it’s not my journey,” he said.
He has learned that sometimes the best thing a parent can do is simply be there when their children ask for help.
“When it’s asked for, you can help, and occasionally, you’ve got to step in and guide them. But I also know you’ve got to let your kids make their own mistakes.”
And despite everything he has achieved himself, Todd says he wants nothing more than to see his children build lives that belong entirely to them.
“I don’t wish them any more than what they’ve got. The rest lays upon them.”
“They’ve got a good foundation and I think they’re set to be able to achieve their own goals, and that’s all you can do.”