Inclusion pathway providing more competitive opportunities
Competitors with a disability or impairment can enter a range of national and state-based events across Australia in coming months.
Australia, 21 September 2022 | tennis.com.au
Tennis Australia and Member Associations around the country will host 13 national and state inclusion opportunities for men, women, and juniors with a disability or impairment from September to December.
The upcoming tennis tournaments will enable players of varying abilities who compete in Blind and Low Vision (BLV), Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHoH), Wheelchair or Intellectual Impairment (PWII) categories to play against their peers, and for national titles as part of the expanded inclusion competitive pathway.
> LEARN MORE: Inclusion pathways
Nationals for the various streams will be played at Melbourne Park; commencing with the first-ever National Australian Blind and Low Vision Championships from 30 September to 2 October, followed by the Australian National Wheelchair Tennis Championships from 11-13 November, and finishing with the Australian Tennis Championships including the National Deaf and Hard of Hearing Tennis Championships, and People with Intellectual Impairments Tennis Championships from 24-27 November.
| National and International Tournaments for Players with a Disability or Impairment | ||
| Dates | Location | Event |
| 16-18 September | Sydney, NSW | ITF Wheelchair tournament |
| 20-22 September | Canberra, ACT | ITF Wheelchair tournament |
| 30 September – 2 October | Melbourne, Vic. | Inaugural National Blind and Low Vision Championships |
| 17-21 October | Launceston, Tas. | Special Olympics (multisport event for players with an Intellectual Impairment) |
| 11-13 November | Melbourne, Vic. | Australian National Wheelchair Tennis National Championships |
| 24-27 November | Melbourne, Vic. | Australian DHoH and PWII Tennis Championships |
Last week, the events kicked off with an ITF Wheelchair Tournament in Sydney, with five-time Paralympian Ben Weekes (NSW) being crowned men’s champion, alongside women’s champion 20-year-old Hayley Slocombe (NSW) and 15-year-old Cairns youngster Ben Wenzel victorious in the junior category.
Players are now in Canberra for the ITF Canberra Wheelchair Open.
| Upcoming state-based annual competitions | ||
| Dates | Location | Event |
| 30 September – 2 October | Adelaide, SA | Peter Smith Open (PWII) |
| 1-2 October | Adelaide, SA | SA DHoH Open |
| 7-9 October | Melbourne, Vic. | Victorian PWII Open |
| 8-9 October | Melbourne, Vic. | Victorian DHoH Open |
| 29-30 October | Perth, WA | WA Blind and Low Vision Open |
| 5-6 November | Adelaide, SA | SA Blind and Low Vision Open |
“Tennis continues to strive to be the most inclusive sport in the country, and part of that is ensuring we provide multiple opportunities at various levels for people with disabilities to play and compete in tennis,” said Dr. Danielle Gescheit, Tennis Australia’s Head of Players with Disability.
“National championships are integral to the competitive pathway, and provide players of all abilities the chance to benchmark themselves against their peers, and have the same opportunities as able bodied players to compete at a national level.”
> LEARN MORE: Competitive Play opportunities
Book online, play today: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!
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