National ranking at the age of 10

Ningali Forrest-Freeman of Woy Woy has achieved a national tennis ranking at the age of 10 after she competed in the Gosford Mentor Silver OJT at Gosford Tennis Centre in December.

Ranked 1816 nationally in the women's category, Ningali said her achievement had a lot to do with her love for the sport, and meeting her greatest inspiration in sport, Evonne Goolagong.

Ningali met Evonne last year in Sydney at a Tennis Australia Come and Try day for indigenous children.

Ningali has played since age six and has also received an Evonne Goolagong Foundation scholarship for coaching and equipment.

"Evonne is awesome," said Ningali.

"Meeting her was better than Christmas.

"She is such a great person and I loved talking with her," Ningali said.

Ningali receives coaching at the Pearl Beach Tennis Centre.

Coach Andrew Coates said coaching Ningali from the age of seven had been a joy.

"Ningali's athletic ability and natural talent has made teaching her modern techniques more effective, adding to Ningali's fast tracked progression and consequent national ranking at a very young age.

"Ningali's true love of the game and fantastic attitude has definitely been a major contributing factor in her success as well as the dedication of her parents," said Coates.

But for Ningali, she said playing was the most important thing.

"I think I've learned a lot.

"I'm more consistent and I know it's not the most important thing to win everything, but to play your best, and just have fun," she said.

Email, 20 Feb 2013

Andrew Coates, Pearl Beach Tennis Centre