COFFS Harbour tennis player Charlie Pade has won a national title at an important annual tournament.

The Westside Tennis Club player won the Under 18 Boys singles title at the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival in Darwin.

Australian tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley was on hand to present Pade with his trophy.

Pade was dominant in Darwin, dropping just four games on his way to winning the title.

He took out the title with a 6-0, 6-1 victory in the final.

The national champion gave his thoughts on playing in the final.

“It was a tough match, a lot of long games, and it took a long time for me to serve out the first set, a bit of nerves there obviously being a final, and I was happy to get there in the end,” he said.

Pade loved the individual nature of tennis.

“I love being out there, like it’s not a team sport it’s an individual sport, so I love being out there by myself trying to problem solve different situations that you might get yourself into during the match,” he said.

Pade’s win in Darwin follows a big year in which he was selected to the All-Australian High School Tennis Team.

The National Indigenous Tennis Carnival was launched in 2018 to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture by bringing together Indigenous players from across Australia.

The event was created as both a participation and performance pathway opportunity for Indigenous tennis players.

By Aiden BURGESS