[Hammer]

Just so all of you know that wheelchair tenniis exists and is getting more and more popular.
I live in the UK and started playing two years ago, its a great sport, the tournments are well run and it can also be very social. Its available to both Para's and Quads and general advice and guidence can be sought from the net, give it ago and who knows, there maybe a new world No.1 out there somewhere. Good luck.

[MichEE]

Hammer, on May 1 2007, 07:39 AM, said:

Just so all of you know that wheelchair tenniis exists and is getting more and more popular.
I live in the UK and started playing two years ago, its a great sport, the tournments are well run and it can also be very social. Its available to both Para's and Quads and general advice and guidence can be sought from the net, give it ago and who knows, there maybe a new world No.1 out there somewhere. Good luck.

Very true and glad to see someone post this info. I just wish there was more activity on this subject. After I got hurt wheelchair tennis really helped me cope with my injury and I hope to promote this to others as much as I can.

[Yong]

Speaking of...

Are there any wheelchair tennis players in the USA that are members here?

I'm in Atlanta, Georgia and we have what is called ALTA (Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association). To my knowledge, ALTA helps by renting out tennis wheelchairs and sponsoring tournaments. I finally got my car fitted with hand controls so I'm ready to go out there and play some tennis.

[Sandra62]

Is tehere anyonw who started wheelchair tennis from zero or anone who have experiences in it.

Yesterday I attended a wheelchair tennis demonstration and wow I couln't hit a single ball properly. And those balls were not from the play at a court but a demonstrator hit them just to me. When I look at people who lay it it looks so easy, but as I tried whuh seems almost impossible for me.

Does anyone have any idea of effort needed to progress. How long does it take to be able to at least enjoy in a play?

[Texaswheelz]

I just started in the early summer, i still suck, but it was enjoyable from day one for me. There are quite a few players here in the Dallas area as well as the Dallas Wheelchair Tennis Club and two of the best US tennis players ever, one is retired but was considered the best in the world for a few years(Randy Snow) and the other rarely plays in tournaments but still made the US paralympic team this year(Steve Welch).
I started by going to a 2 hour free wheelchair tennis 101 every Saturday for 4 weeks, after that me and another one of the newbies that had just started, decided to meet up with each other every Saturday morning at the courts of a local college and play together to get a little better. We still rarely keep a rally going more then a couple of hits across the net, but we learn and get better and also both still play in our every day chairs, getting tennis chairs would make a huge difference in being able to get to the balls not hit directly to us. Right now we still work more on making sure we have the correct grip and getting a good stroke on the ball. Learning the basics will make a huge difference for later down the line.

[Sandra62]

Thanks Texas for information. It only confirms that it is a complex activity and it requires a lot of effort before one can enjoy in it. I feel it must be much more suitable to peole who already played tennis before injury. I think I will not go for it for now.
Table tennis seems more appropriate since it does not require so much wheelchair movements.

This post has been edited by Sandra62: 27 October 2008 - 11:54 AM

[ems]

I play tennis with a few friends, para and AB, only for a laugh though in the summer. I use my basketball chair ;)

[Sandra62]

ems, on Oct 27 2008, 01:03 PM, said:

I play tennis with a few friends, para and AB, only for a laugh though in the summer. I use my basketball chair ;)

Ems, did you play tennis before injury? How long did you need to learn?

[ems]

Like any sport, you need to know the rules, and I guess be pretty mobile in your chair.

The last time I had played tennis before my accident was at school.

Tabbletennis? I'd rather be dashing around a bit more ;)

This post has been edited by ems: 27 October 2008 - 04:02 PM

[Texaswheelz]

i never played before I was injured. you will get more mobile and better at it with practice, just like everything else. I've seen some quad tennis players that get around and can kick my ass easily. I went and watched a wheelchair tennis tourney this summer and there was a guy there that was over 70 years old and played pretty damn good. Another guy, the one that got me playing is over 60 and was beating guys that were twice as fast and mobile as he was just by hitting the ball in the right spot at the right time. Like all sports, it takes practice, whether your in a chair or not and you just started playing tennis, you still have to work on the basics first, which is grip and stroke, doesn't matter if you can get to the ball every time if you have a horrible stroke, you'll never hit it back across the net and in-bounds.

Stick with it and if you can get out and play once a week for a year, I promise you'll improve and ton and be glad that you stuck with it.

[Sandra62]

Thank you all very much for information and encouragmement. We will see, maybe I decide to attend a course during this winter. But What I think it is great is to play outside.

[Bobski]

Sandra62, on Oct 28 2008, 10:43 AM, said:

Thank you all very much for information and encouragmement. We will see, maybe I decide to attend a course during this winter. But What I think it is great is to play outside.

Hi Sandra62
It does take a while to get the hang of playing tennis from a wheelchair but its well worth the effort. There is help with coaching out there but it depends on where in the Uk you are based. Also the Uk national association "Great Britain Wheelchair tennis Association" runs tennis camps every year for beginers and also a womens camp. If you attend one of these you will see what its all about and meet some useful contacts. If you email me at wilzimm2000@gmail.com i will pass on contacts where you can find info about coaching and tennis camps.

[MichEE]

Yong, on Jan 21 2008, 09:33 PM, said:

Speaking of...

Are there any wheelchair tennis players in the USA that are members here?

I'm in Atlanta, Georgia and we have what is called ALTA (Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association). To my knowledge, ALTA helps by renting out tennis wheelchairs and sponsoring tournaments. I finally got my car fitted with hand controls so I'm ready to go out there and play some tennis.

Hi Yong,
Atlanta is a GREAT place to learn to play tennis. E-mail me at info@grwsa.com and I can send you the contact info of several people there. I played in a run/roll tournament there this summer and we had a great time!!

I enjoy the sport the most because I can play with my wife, friends and I also play at my local club on a men's 3.0 travel team. It is totally a blast.

I have done table tennis and it is fun also but does not have the opportunities that tennis does.

This post has been edited by MichEE: 10 November 2008 - 03:21 AM