Tennis can be played by all ages & is asport where males and females can compete together in mixed doubles. Wheelchair users can play against non-disabled players using the two-bounce rule. Visually impaired players can play together or with sighted family and friends using an audible ball. Lee Duck-hee, a deaf player from South Korea, reached 130 in the ATP rankings in 2017. Middlesex Tennis has it’s own international deaf player in Esah Hayat.

The court size and type of ball can be adapted to the space available, the age and/or ability of the players. Tennis does not have to be played on a traditional court. Within the rules there are court sizes that correspond to the different balls but to be honest tennis can be played almost anywhere without the need for a traditional tennis court: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BRNkFUZqnY

Touch tennis is popular in the UK where adults play and compete on a reduced size court with foam balls making thesport about skill and tactics and reducing the element of power: http://www.touchtennis.com/gb/home.php

For more information on the different types of ball and court sizes visit: http://www.tennisplayandstay.com/home.aspx

For more information on disability tennis go to: http://www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/play-tennis/

Written By Mark Bullock

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