{"id":21134,"date":"2025-08-11T15:12:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T07:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/wa\/?p=21134"},"modified":"2025-08-11T15:26:01","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T07:26:01","slug":"wa-make-their-mark-at-the-2025-national-indigenous-tennis-carnival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/wa\/news\/2025\/08\/11\/wa-make-their-mark-at-the-2025-national-indigenous-tennis-carnival","title":{"rendered":"WA Make Their Mark at the 2025 National Indigenous Tennis Carnival"},"content":{"rendered":"

Team WA returned home proud and inspired after an unforgettable week at the 2025 National Indigenous Tennis Carnival (NITC) in Darwin –\u00a0a celebration of culture, competition, and connection that brought together hundreds of First Nations players from across the country.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The NITC, considered the pinnacle of the First Nations tennis pathway, is more than just a tournament. Across four days, participants immersed themselves in cultural workshops, forged new friendships, and competed in spirited matches under the Northern Territory sun.<\/p>\n

In attendance all week was Tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley, who crowned the 2025 champions and reflected on the significance of the event:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe combination of tennis with culture can only make them stronger. The combination is just unreal.\u201d<\/p>\n

After arriving in Darwin and settling into their accommodation, Team WA began the week with a welcome dinner and team meeting to connect and set goals.<\/p>\n

Day two saw the official team check-in at the Darwin International Tennis Centre, where players received their event shirts and goodies before taking part in a vibrant Opening Ceremony<\/b>. The afternoon was filled with cultural activities, including spear throwing, language workshops, traditional dancing, string making, pillar painting, face painting, and ballkid training.<\/p>\n

On day three, WA proudly contributed to the Cultural Exchange<\/b>, presenting the Reconciliation Action Plan<\/i> artwork by Jade Narkle and explaining the story behind it. Matches then began for both the Future Stars and Showdown competitions, with the players giving their all in hot and humid conditions.<\/p>\n

Day four wrapped up with the Future Stars finals<\/b> before a surprise performance from Indigenous rapper Barkaa<\/b>, whose high-energy set had the crowd on their feet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Team WA delivered strong results on and off the court, including:<\/p>\n