Tennis

Often referred to as “Wheelchair Tennis”

Like many court sports, wheelchair tennis can be played anywhere its able-bodied equivalent exists. The rules are almost exactly the same, except a receiving player is allowed two bounces before returning the ball. This also means that the sport can be played with able-bodied players with almost no modifications. That mix of simplicity and accessibility, plus an impressive intensity, make tennis an extremely dynamic adaptive sport.

View Equipment Options Watch Instructional Videos

Equipment Options

Tennis can be played using a range of chairs, mostly depending on your intensity of play and performance goals. For casual players, an everyday chair may be enough to get started, but most opt for a general sport chair or even a tennis chair.

Injury Level Considerations

Adaptive tennis is primarily played in its wheelchair format, and is usually divided into individual classes for people with and without arm impairments. A number of simple modifications exist to adapt to the needs of various types of disability.

Ease of Access

Tennis is one of the few aerobic adaptive sports that can be done entirely from an everyday chair. While you will likely eventually want an upgrade, this means all it takes is a local tennis court to get started. This simplicity also makes it a common offering at local adaptive sports programs.

Equipment Options

Check out the equipment options available. Each one varies based on level of injury, but there’s something for everyone. Try a few different styles, and decide which is best for you.

General Sport Chairs

A general sport chair is likely enough for 90% of wheelchair tennis players, and allows the flexibility to participate in dozens of other activities. Check out our Sport Chair resource page for all the specifics.