Introduction to Wheelchair Tennis
Funding for this video clip series has been provided by: |
| Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center |
|
Tennis is a competitive recreational activity in which participants hit a tennis ball back and forth over a net and attempt to outplay their opponent by placing the ball in strategic areas of the court. Tennis has become more popular recently among individuals with disabilities. There are two versions of tennis within disability sport - ambulatory tennis and wheelchair tennis. Ambulatory tennis is played by two disability sport organizations, the United States Deaf Sports Federation and Special Olympics.
| NOTE: RealPlayer is required to view each video clip. | |
 Click here to view a video of athletes playing wheelchair tennis. |
|
Wheelchair tennis was developed by American Brad Parks in 1976. Since then, it is one of the fastest growing sports for individuals with disabilities. Today, the International Tennis Federation (ITF)Wheelchair Tennis Committee is the governing body for Wheelchair Tennis and is advised by the International Wheelchair Tennis Association (IWTA), which includes all Wheelchair Tennis member nations, including the United States Tennis Association. The ITF aims to provide, promote and develop opportunities for men, women and children with disabilities to participate in recreational and competitive wheelchair tennis at all levels from novice to the professional player.
| NOTE: RealPlayer is required to view each video clip. | |
 Click here to view a video a wheelchair tennis player talking about player eligibility and tournaments. |
|
Recent efforts have been made to integrate wheelchair tennis into mainstream tennis tournaments. At the 2005 Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, the first ever wheelchair tennis tournament on grass was staged, with eight of the world's leading Men's Doubles players taking part in a Men's Doubles tournament over the final weekend. In September 2005, the US Open at Flushing Meadows became the third Grand Slam to stage a wheelchair tennis tournament alongside the latter stage of its main event.
| NOTE: RealPlayer is required to view each video clip. | |
 Click here to view a video of a wheelchair tennis athlete talk about playing professional wheelchair tennis. |
|
This fact sheet was last updated on 04-10-2006.
The information provided in this website was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U59/CCU522742-02 from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).