14 August 2023 | Tennis Victoria

Over 160 First Nations aspiring tennis players visited Darwin International Tennis Centre on Larrakia Country for the fourth National Indigenous Tennis Carnival (NITC).

The championship finals of the NITC saw Giselle Kawane (Cairns, Qld) and Charlie Pade (Coffs Harbour, NSW) claim the 18-and-under girls’ and boys’ titles and Lewis Murray (Castlemaine, Vic) take out the 14-and-under mixed competition. Champions were presented their trophies by 14-time Grand Slam champion Goolagong Cawley.

Fourteen-year-old Lewis Murray from Victoria won his second-consecutive National Indigenous Tennis Carnival title in the 14-and-under mixed event. “It’s pretty cool to win two National Indigenous Carnival titles in a row, it feels great, but obviously an unfortunate end to the match [match retirement]. I feel for Ryan, but he had a great tournament, so I congratulate him on reaching the final.” Murray said.

“My goal in tennis is to make it to the highest level of tennis, maybe become a Grand Slam champion one day.” – Lewis Murray (Vic)

Congratulations also to Victoria’s Tyrese Walsh who was one of the peer awarded winners of the ‘Deadly Award’.

National Indigenous Tennis Carnival 2023 final results:

18-and-under championships

Girls: [1] Giselle Kawane (Qld) def. [2] Sophie Foster (NSW) 6-1 6-1

Boys: [1] Charlie Pade (NSW) def. [2] Quincy Kahn (NSW) 6-0 6-1

14-and-under championships

Mixed: [1] Lewis Murray (Vic) def. [2] Ryan Bolger (Qld) 5-3 Ret.

Evonne Goolagong Cawley Medal of Excellence (leadership)

Jayden Kemp (SA)

Ash Barty Cup (aggregate best performing on-court team)

New South Wales

Deadly Award winners (peer voted)

ACT: Xavier Williams-Arena

NSW: Jacob Issaoui Slade

Qld: Kelsey Weribone

SA: Malachi Varcoe

Vic: Tyrese Walsh

Tas: Hunter Richardson

WA: Mitch Durant

NT: Kimally Puruntatameri (Tiwi Islands)

Celebrating the cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through tennis, the NITC is a four-day annual event with a focus on culture, community, tennis, and wellbeing from 10-13 August 2023.

The NITC saw players from every state and territory – including seven Northern Territory communities – travelling to Darwin to take part. A Welcome to Country was hosted by Larrakia Traditional Owner Lynette Fejo on day one, and cultural activities including weaving, art, laughing yoga, and spear throwing were delivered by First Nations people throughout the Carnival.

Australian Open ballkid trials were also held at the event with 16 First Nations youth from the carnival to be selected to travel to Melbourne and be part of the prestigious Australian Open Ballkid squad, helping link grassroots participation to the years’ first Grand Slam.