Wheelchair tennis has gained incredible momentum as an Olympic sport and currently stands out among Paralympic sports as an up and coming talent. Played on standard tennis courts with one exception; wheelchair players may have two bounces before hitting the ball.
Matthias notes that providing wheelchair tennis coaching allows children from diverse backgrounds to participate. Furthermore, it challenges society’s perceptions of disability while equipping kids to advocate for themselves.
Rules
Wheelchair Tennis is played on a standard tennis court with one exception – wheelchair players are permitted two bounces (so long as their first bounce lands within fair territory). Competition can take place either as singles and doubles competition in either open or quad class competition; for the former category a player must possess a medically diagnosed permanent mobility-related physical disability that affects one or both lower extremities; to qualify for quad class competition they must also have upper-limb impairment, and an independent set of rules govern their play.
Brad Parks is widely recognized for creating competitive wheelchair tennis in 1976 after suffering a skiing accident that rendered him paraplegic. After meeting fellow wheelchair athlete Jeff Minnenbraker, they both started promoting it through camps and exhibitions to make wheelchair tennis more comparable with its pedestrian counterpart. To increase competition they introduced one change which remains unique to wheelchair tennis: permitting second bounces that must land inside; these became known as two-bounce rules and remain the only difference between regular tennis and wheelchair tennis today.
Wheelchair tennis complies with all other tennis rules, such as service, etiquette and scoring. Athletes compete in both open and quad classes with matches consisting of best-of-three sets.
There is a range of disabilities that qualify individuals to participate in adaptive tennis, including multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, traumatic brain injury, stroke, hemiplegia, limb differences and cerebral palsy – as well as hearing and vision impairments. Users may use either manual or powered wheelchairs when participating; non-wheelchair users are welcome and encouraged to join as well.
Adaptive Tennis offers people with disabilities a fun way to get out onto the courts, interact with others and stay active. USTA Southern California is proud of the partnerships it has developed throughout Southern California with providers who host instructional, social and competitive Adaptive Tennis programs that demonstrate why tennis truly is a sport for everyone.
Equipment
There is a wide variety of equipment designed to facilitate participation by those with disabilities in tennis. This includes wheelchairs, tennis balls and accessories that enhance player experiences and performance on court. Furthermore, standard sport wheelchairs may be converted to suit this sport.
A wheelchair specifically designed for tennis can help improve a player’s ability to maneuver and reach shots more easily. These chairs feature an exclusive design that allows them to move more quickly with greater maneuverability than standard sport wheelchairs, and made of materials that absorb impact better. Furthermore, such chairs not only improve mobility and maneuverability but can also build player confidence in playing this form of the sport.
Wheelchair tennis involves intense back and forth movements requiring significant sprinting, in combination with good propulsion techniques. To reach higher levels of performance, sprinting must be combined with effective propulsion techniques. The current research seeks to understand how wheelchair configuration affects wheeling performance and propulsion technique of wheelchair tennis players; field tests have been designed in this regard in order to measure speed, power, acceleration of this sport.
Development of field tests will allow wheelchair players to compare their performance against that of their peers, and provide key fundamental insights into the interaction between specific wheelchair characteristics (mass, tyre pressure) and an athlete’s skills.
Individuals with limited grip strength have access to various grip devices that will enable them to keep a tennis racket in their hand. Athletic tape and an ace bandage wrap are two simple solutions, while orthopedic racquet holders and grasping gloves may provide greater gripping support for more severe limitations. Arm prosthetics may even be modified so as to hold onto a tennis racket!
Tennis is an enjoyable and engaging activity for people living with disabilities, providing independence and social interaction while exercising at the same time. Adaptive tennis follows all the rules associated with regular tennis with some modifications made for wheelchair users.
Training
Tennis is one of the world’s most beloved wheelchair sports and boasts a significant following worldwide. In the US, a number of organizations provide instruction for people living with various disabilities to enjoy this classic game.
Wheelchair Tennis is played on a standard tennis court with only minimal modifications made by wheelchair competitors; their advantage being they receive two bounces of the ball before it must be hit, instead of just one. Games feature both singles and doubles events, with the winner determined by being first to win both sets in either event. Wheelchair tennis has gained prominence within Paralympic sports competitions worldwide and competitions take place all around the globe.
Numerous adaptive tennis programs exist across the United States for both recreational and competitive adaptive tennis play, but many schools have also incorporated adaptive tennis into their curriculums – both public and private schools – with students enrolling in these programs taking part in local or state adaptive tennis championships as well as Special Olympic events.
Due to this surge in interest and resources available for promotion of wheelchair sports, more resources have become available for them in California, where some of the top wheelchair athletes reside; including Orange County native Brad Parks who introduced wheelchair tennis to able-bodied people and Grand Slam champion Dana Mathewson (Grand Slam Champion Dana is now Paralympic Medalist Dana Mathewson) among others. PTR Foundation works alongside these organizations throughout the nation in expanding the game of wheelchair tennis.
Adaptive Tennis is an exciting, inclusive sport suitable for people of all ages, abilities, and genders. The aim is to tailor the sport specifically to each participant – not their disability – in order to ensure an enjoyable and fulfilling experience for everyone involved. In order to achieve this goal, an entire community must come together in support of those living with disabilities to allow them to pursue their goals and realize their dreams.
At the University of Houston, for instance, an innovative Adaptive Tennis Program exists that includes free weekly wheelchair clinics in partnership with MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital as well as tournaments and integrated programs. According to Gabby Hesse of Adaptive Tennis at UH, this is part of their school mission and helps show students that physical disabilities do not prevent them from reaching their full potential and accomplishing what they set out to do.
Competition
Tennis is enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. People living with physical disabilities such as quadriplegia and paraplegia can compete at an elite level in wheelchair tennis competition, representing their nation at national and international competitions. Athletes compete in two classes: open (athletes with lower limb impairment and normal arm function) or quad (athletes who require assistance holding their racket or moving the racquet while maneuvering their wheelchair).
Adaptive Tennis allows individuals with physical impairments to use modified equipment on a standard tennis court, including smaller rackets and special balls with different bounce characteristics than regular tennis balls. Rules are similar to able-bodied tennis with the addition that players are permitted two bounces before striking it.
USTA Southern California collaborates with providers who host instructional, social, and competitive wheelchair tennis programs that demonstrate our region’s vibrant wheelchair tennis community. These dynamic programs show that tennis is truly for all!
Wheelchair tennis is an Olympic event and a fiercely contested sport, providing athletes with an opportunity to showcase their abilities against world-class competitors.
Athletes can compete in both singles and doubles events. Men’s and women’s events feature best-of-three sets; team competition features two out of three set format with match tie break determining winner.
Anyone interested in wheelchair tennis should visit the USATT website first. There they’ll find an exhaustive list of adaptive tennis facilities and clubs across the nation offering lessons as well as opportunities to compete in tournaments.
Tucson will play host to the inaugural 2024 USTA L4 JTCC Wheelchair Tennis Championships presented by MedStar NRH and is one of the premier wheelchair tournament locations nationwide. This inaugural tournament hosts 32 athletes from 12 states and 4 countries, offering Coed A, B, C & 18 Under Singles & Doubles matches in Coed A/B/C Singles/Doubles matches; it is supported by USTA Adaptive Tennis Grassroots grant money, Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports/Jim Click Automotive/Raising Cane’s to name just some of its sponsors – making it truly accessible!