The International Tennis Federation reports paraplegic athletes practice wheelchair tennis in more than 150 tournaments, in 90 countries around the world. Just like able-bodied tennis, competitors must exhibit high levels of fitness, skill and strategy. Wheelchair tennis has been an official game in the Paralympic Games since 1992.
Rules
In wheelchair tennis, the ball is permitted to bounce twice before the receiving player hits his return. The first bounce must fall inbounds. The second bounce is permitted to land out of bounds. Apart from this one rule change, the rules of wheelchair tennis parallel official able-bodied ITF regulations.
Beginners
Disabled Sports USA advises beginners to put in practice time to hone their wheelchair tennis skills. It explains beginners often place the racquets in their laps while pushing their chair. This impairs their ability to return the ball quickly. Beginners need to acquire the skills necessary to hold the racquet with four fingers, leaving their thumb free to push their chair. With the thumb free, says Karen Smith, wheelchair tennis team captain of the Connecticut Hornets, on DSUSA, players “push the chair with the heel of the hand and the inside of the racquet grip, so the racquet is up and ready.”
Strategy
Reacting, negotiating and recovering from the base position known as “the hub” is the basic strategy of wheelchair tennis. The hub sits about five feet behind the baseline. The baselines are perpendicular to the sidelines and indicate the end of the inbounds area at the back of the court. Karen Smith explains that the hub position enables players to “come in for shots or go wide for a second bounce.” Learning to read the head and body movements of your opponent reduces your reaction time.
History
Two American men, Brad Parks and Jeff Minnenbraker, founded tennis for paraplegics in wheelchairs in 1976. The two came together to promote the sport. Minnenbraker, following a paralyzing accident, played tennis from a wheelchair. According to Parasport, Parks made contact with Minnenbraker after read an inspiring article about his athletic ability.
National and International Organizations
The first national paraplegic tennis organization was the National Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis formed in 1980. The European Wheelchair Tennis Federation came on the scene in 1985. In 1988 Brad Parks became the first president of the International Wheelchair Tennis Federation. Currently the International Tennis Federation governs the world of wheelchair tennis.
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