Wheelchair tennis!?! How do you play tennis in a wheelchair?

This is a question that every wheelchair tennis player has heard at one time or another.

The only difference in the rules between wheelchair tennis and regular tennis is that wheelchair players can let the ball bounce twice if they need to (only the first bounce needs to be in). But any wheelchair player will tell you that it goes way beyond that. The added complexities that come with having to do everything with their hands and arms makes this game a whole new sport.

One of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the world with over 3000 players worldwide, wheelchair tennis stands out among wheelchair sports in that it lets able-bodied and disabled players play against each other on the same court.

No longer do all of the participants need to be in a wheelchair like most other wheelchair sports. A disabled player can play against an able-bodied player, or even with an able-bodied player in a format called up/down doubles. This format lets families and friends play tennis together and helps break down some of the stereotypes and barriers that often limit interaction between the wheelchair bound and the upright world.