Wheelchair tennis

Wheelchair Tennis Tennis designated for wheelchair users. It is, in essence according to the known rules, except that the players may leave the ball before the shock jump twice.

The sport of the Paralympic Games since 1992 regular discipline. Even with the four Grand Slam tournaments, there are now separate competitions for men and women in singles and doubles. Players who can move their arms restricted, enter into a separate competition (so-called "Quad Singles " and " Doubles Quad " ) against each other. The sports wheelchairs used can also have an electric drive in " Quad" players.

History

The wheelchair tennis goes back to the American Brad Parks. After a skiing accident a paraplegic, he made in 1976 during the first trials of rehabilitation in wheelchair tennis. He learned the wheelchair athlete Jeff Minne Braker know, with whom he developed the new sport and made known.

In May 1977, the first tournament was held with 20 participants in the city park of Los Angeles.

1980 was the first wheelchair tennis association, the National Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis ( NFWT ), founded, have been elected to its board next to Parks David Saltz, Jim Worth and Dave Kiley. There was a series of 10 tournaments, including the first American Championships, which were in Irvine, California, is discharged. The first winner was Brad Park. End of the year about 300 wheelchair tennis players were counted in the United States.

1981 saw the founding of the players' union Wheelchair Tennis Players Association. With the Frenchman Jean -Pierre Limborg for the first time joined a non Americans at the U.S. Championships. Limborg founded after his return with his coach in Garches Europe's first wheelchair tennis club. In the aftermath spread the sport in Europe, so that in 1983 the "Open d' Antony " in Paris the first international tournament in Europe can be organized.

In the U.S., it came in 1984 to win the wheelchair manufacturer Everest & Jennings a first sponsor for the tour. The following year, the number of tournaments grew up merikanischem ground on 40, where about 1,500 players took part. With the World Team Cup was a country competition, established in accordance with the Davis Cup and Fed Cup, to life. In Europe, the European Wheelchair Tennis Federation ( EWTF ) was established, which initiated a series of tournaments in Europe.

1986 saw the first French Championships took place in Antony.

In October 1988, the first International Federation International Wheelchair Tennis Federation ( IWTF ) was founded during the U.S. Open. At the Paralympic Games in Seoul wheelchair tennis was a demonstration sport in the program. Since the Games in Barcelona in 1992, it is a regular competitive sport.

1991 you won the Japanese electronics giant NEC as a sponsor. At the U.S. Open winner a prize money was announced this year for the first time. Since 1992 is an international tournament series, the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour discharged.

In 1997, Brad Parks retired as president of the IWTF. His successor was Martin McElhatton. The following year, the IWTF was integrated into the International Tennis Federation.

2002 was added at the Australian Open as the first Grand Slam tournament as a separate wheelchair tennis competition. This was followed by the 2005 Wimbledon Championships and the U.S. Open and the 2007 French Open.

Regulate

The rules are essentially the well-known tennis rules. The only major exception is that the ball may not bounce twice ( the second time outside of the field ) to be played in compliance.

The wheelchair is technically considered a regular part of the body. So if the ball touches the wheelchair of a player, he loses the point. Likewise, it is not permitted to touch the net with the wheelchair. You let the wheelchair must only touch the base line after the ball was hit. " Quad" Players may move the ball at impact jump once.

Players may not touch the ground with your feet during a rally in principle. Only " Quad" Players are allowed to use a foot for locomotion. Also in this case may touch the ground during the swing no foot.

In "mixed" matches between wheelchair tennis players and non-disabled players apply to every players the usual rules for him. The wheelchair tennis player is allowed the ball so make you jump twice, the non-disabled players once.