Wheelchair Tennis
Wheelchair tennis is one of the forms of tennis adapted for those who have disabilities in their lower bodies. The size of courts, balls, and rackets are same, but there are two major differences from pedestrian tennis; they use specially designed wheelchairs and the ball may bounce up to two times. The second bounce may also occur outside of the field.
This is one of the official Paralympic sports and also played at Grand Slams. There are three categories; Men, Ladies, and Quads and each category has singles and doubles tournaments. Quads is the category for those with quadriplegia and it is sometimes called Mixed especially at Paralympic Games. Quads players can hold rackets taped to the hand and use electric-powered wheelchairs. Grand Slams, Australian Open, Wimbledon, Roland Garros, and US Open have each created wheelchair tennis category. It is also played at Paralympic Games and FESPIC games as well.Wheelchair tennis is played in over 70 countries around the world and the interest in the sport is only growing.
Wheelchair tennis is played year-round using indoor courts during the winter and outdoor courts during the summer. The rules and regulations of wheelchair tennis are the same as those of professional tennis. No modifications need to be made to the court dimensions or the height of the net. The only changes are that in wheelchair tennis, the ball is allowed to bounce twice.
No special equipment is needed to play the game. Your standard tennis ball and tennis racquet is all that's required. Some wheelchair sports can become a little pricey if special equipment is needed; which is the reason why wheelchair tennis appeals to so many people. If you have a racquet and a ball, you are set to take on the competition.
Everyday wheelchairs can be used to play wheelchair tennis. However, sport wheelchairs are widely used in a variety of sports, and tennis is no exception. In fact, sport wheelchairs are designed specifically for tennis. A specialized tennis chair responds to your every move, giving you more mobility, stability and speed. The right chair can help you dominate the game.
