The courts at the Darwin International Tennis Centre were firing today as the J60 NT Junior International reached its thrilling conclusion. Spectators were treated to a showcase of incredible grit, tactical brilliance, and the next generation of Australian tennis stars battling it out on the international stage.
Here is how all the action unfolded.
Girls’ Singles: Ma Triumphs in Friendly Fire
The Girls’ Singles draw culminated in an all-Queensland showdown on Centre Court between tournament singles partners and elite competitors, No. 3 seed Pauline Ma and No. 5 seed Isabella Welsh.
Ma earned her spot in the final after a clinical 6-2, 6-4 semi-final victory on Friday over New South Wales’ Ami Dalla Pozza. Meanwhile, Welsh had to take the scenic route to Saturday’s grand final, enduring a brutal, physical battle on Friday against South Australia’s Lara Wu. Welsh showed immense heart to push through the three-hour marathon, ultimately sealing her spot 6-7(9), 6-4, 6-2.
In the grand final, however, it was Pauline Ma who found her rhythm early. Capitalizing on a quick start, Ma took the international title over her doubles partner with a commanding 6-1, 6-3 victory.
Boys’ Singles: Palombo Goes Back-to-Back
In the Boys’ Singles, Novak Palombo (VIC) proved once again why Darwin is a happy hunting ground for him. Fresh off his recent title win at the J30 Darwin Junior International, Palombo returned to the grand final stage on Saturday with eyes firmly on a second trophy.
Both finalists had to fight incredibly hard through Friday’s semi-finals to earn their spots. Palombo, in particular, had to dig deep in a grueling match against Queensland’s Samarth Patel that crossed the two-hour mark, eventually trading blows to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Carrying that hard-fought momentum into Saturday’s championship match, Palombo put on a dominant display, defeating Patel in the grand final with a clinical 6-2, 6-1 performance to secure the championship.
Boys’ Doubles: Flight Changes Pay Off for WA Duo
The Boys’ Doubles final featured a narrative of sheer dedication, headlined by the tournament’s top seeds, Western Australian duo Aidan Chan and Nemanja Savic. Expecting a Friday finish, the pair had a costly – but incredibly rewarding – decision to make, forced to rebook their Friday evening flights home after storming into Saturday’s grand final.
In an eerie twist of fate, both pairs of finalists seemed destined to meet on Saturday, having mirrored each other’s exact scorelines in their respective Friday semi-finals: both fighting back to win 5-7, 6-4, [10-4].
Facing off against the Victorian pairing of Christopher Manton and singles champion Novak Palombo, the WA duo refused to let their flight changes go to waste. Chan and Savic delivered a clinical performance, stopping Palombo’s bid for a double-trophy weekend with a decisive 6-3, 6-3 victory to officially claim the NT Junior International Boys’ Doubles crown.
Girls’ Doubles: Thrilling Upset in Match-Tiebreak
After facing off as fierce rivals on opposite sides of the net in the singles final, Queensland partners Isabella Welsh and Pauline Ma united on the same side for the Girls’ Doubles final. The top-seeded duo had ruthlessly marched through the draw without dropping a single set on their way to the championship match.
Standing in their way was the formidable pairing of South Australia’s Taylah Lessue and Queensland’s Acalia Shamim.
What followed was a grand final epic. Lessue and Shamim stunned the top seeds early, storming through the first set 6-1. Showing the championship resolve that got them to the finals, Ma and Welsh fought back to claim the second set 3-6, forcing a high-stakes match-tiebreak. In a dramatic, edge-of-your-seat finish, it was Lessue and Shamim who held their nerve, sealing a thrilling upset with a 6-1, 3-6, [10-8] victory in the end.
A Note of Thanks
An international tournament of this caliber simply does not happen without an incredible team working behind the scenes.
Tennis NT and the tournament organizers would like to extend a massive thank you to all the tournament staff, referees, officials, players, parents, coaches, volunteers, and support staff who made this event possible. The resounding success of the J60 NT Junior International is a direct reflection of your unwavering dedication and passion for the sport, making the action over the past few tournaments completely seamless.
Congratulations to all of our 2026 champions and finalists!
KEY LINKS:
Missed a match? See the draws and results on the ITF website [HERE]
See some of our favourite shots by Celina Whan on our Facebook Album [HERE]
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