10 December 2013 | Tennis West

Maddison Inglis has been crowned girls 18s Australian National Champion at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

In the battle between the fifth and eighth seeds, it was Inglis who trumped Hives to secure her first Australian Nationals title.

“I’m feeling shocked and [I’m] still shaking,” said an almost disbelieving Inglis after the match.

“I didn’t think I’d get this far, let alone win it.”

Both players broke the other early, but it was eighth seed Hives who strung together four games in a row and looked to be in control.

Despite feeling nervous, Inglis wrested the opening set back from the Victorian, taking it in a tiebreak.

The second set began with three consecutive breaks as both players fought for momentum. But again it was Inglis who held, her backhand proving to be a significant weapon.

“She definitely deserves it, she’s been in the mix for a couple of years now but she really deserves it, so credit to her,” said her coach, Andrew Roberts.

“I think she’s gotten better match by match, both physically and emotionally she’s been improving as well.”

Inglis will now prepare for her next challenge, the Australian Open 2014 Play-off.