Wheelchair Tennis
Wheelchair Tennis is a spectacular sport that enjoys great popularity
during the Paralympic Games. To compete at a
high level successfully, athletes must
develop technique, stamina, persistence,
speed and reflexes. Among Wheelchair Tennis
athletes, a Paralympic medal is considered
as the highest distinction:
David Hall: “There were a few tears. I
expected it to be very emotional. I've been
thinking about this ever since Sydney was
awarded the Olympic Games.”
Esther Vergeer: “It's unreal. My goal was to
win gold in the singles and doubles. Μy
dream came true.”
A Wheelchair Tennis match is played
between two or four athletes with loss of
motor function in one or both lower
extremities. There is a special class for
quadriplegics (quads), or athletes with loss
of motor function in the lower extremities
and functional disability or amputation in
the upper extremities. To score a point,
Wheelchair Tennis players have to hit the
ball with their rackets so that it lands on
the opponent’s court without the opponent
being able to hit it back. Winner is the
athlete or pair to win three “sets” of six
“games” each (best-of-three set match).
Wheelchair
Tennis at the 2004 Paralympic Games
During the ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games,
Wheelchair Tennis competitions will be
staged at the
Olympic Tennis Centre of the Athens
Olympic Sports Complex (OCO). Competition
will take place within the span of eight
days (September 19-26). The total of men and
women athletes competing will be 112.
Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis consists of
six events:
| 1. |
Men’s singles |
| 2. |
Women’s singles |
| 3. |
Men’s doubles |
| 4. |
Women’s doubles |
| 5. |
Quads singles |
| 6. |
Quads doubles |
|
