Wheelchair tennis began gaining popularity in the late 1970s when a teenager named Brad Parks began playing the sport. Parks went on to co-found the National Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis. In 2010, wheelchair tennis follows the same basic rules and scoring system as standard tennis, with a few exceptions. The International Tennis Federation determines the rules for both forms of the sport.
Equipment
According to the ITF's rules, the wheelchair counts as part of a player's body, and the rules relating to a player's body also apply to the player's wheelchair.
Serving
The player who is serving lines up behind the baseline. No part of her lower body or wheelchair can touch the baseline or center mark. The server can use one push before hitting the ball; otherwise, the server should be stationary. If the player cannot drop the ball on her own, she may have someone else do it for her. Players who use this method of serving must use it for every serve throughout the match.
Scoring
In wheelchair tennis, a player wins a point when his opponent hits the ball out of bounds or allows the the ball to bounce more than two times. If a ball touches a line, it is good. Its second bounce can be out of bounds.
A player wins a point if her opponent uses her feet or any other part of her lower body to stop or keep her wheelchair stable while returning the ball or serving. If a player propels her chair with a foot, or uses a foot to turn or move while the ball is in play, her opponent scores a point.
The ITF specifies that players must keep at least one button in their chairs when hitting the ball. Players who don't follow this rule lose a point.
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