Photo: Kevin Bogetti-Smith
Wheelchair tennis will be on deck at the Kamloops Tennis Centre at 750 Front St.
About 30 participants will be taking a swing at the top prizes this weekend as the Tournament Capital is set to host the ITF Futures Kamloops Legacy Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, which runs Friday through Sunday.
The annual event features men’s, women’s, quadriplegic and junior divisions, including six men, five women and two quadriplegic players who rank in the Top 100 in the world.
Nathan Bragg, senior communications coordinator for the BC Wheelchair Sports Association said the organization’s has hosted the tournament in Kamloops since 2015 at the Kamloops Tennis Centre located at 750 Front St. downtown.
He said the BCWSA operates numerous wheelchair athletic programs around B.C.
“We think it’s really important to have at least one of our major events outside of the Lower Mainland and the Kamloops Tennis Centre has been very supportive — a good host,” Bragg said.
The opening games take place Friday after a Thursday night draw to determine the order of play. The division finals are on Sunday with trophies up for grabs.
The tournament is free to attend and, Bragg said, and spectators are more than welcome.
“We’d love to have spectators out there to come out, learn a little bit about wheelchair tennis, see some of the athletes and really get into the sport,” Bragg said.
He said wheelchair tennis is important — just like any adaptive or wheelchair sport — because it serves as a competitive outlet for athletes.
“It’s really important to have competitions like this. They allow more people to become exposed to this sport,” Bragg said.
“I think one of the biggest barriers to a lot of wheelchair sports is people just don’t know what’s out there. And they don’t know what options are available to them and what they can do.”
Bragg said the sport does not differ much from its traditional counterpart, noting the big rule difference is that the ball is allowed to bounce before it must be returned rather than once.
Tournament could lead to Paralympics
This weekend’s tournament is part of the International Tennis Federation’s wheelchair tennis tour, meaning it counts towards world rankin g points and comes with prize money.
“It’s actually one of the last few tournaments on tour that will count for qualification points for athletes hoping to make it to the Paralympic Games,” Bragg said.
He said a couple athletes in town this weekend have their eyes on the Paris games and are hoping it will boost their rankings.
All of the junior players will also be competing in their respective men’s or women’s division, so they will get two opportunities to play and more games under their belt, Bragg said. He said this weekend’s tournament will feature athletes from Germany, Australia, Costa Rica, Brazil, and all over Canada, including Ontario, Quebec and seven from B.C.
Bragg said given the impending heat wave, games will likely start early at about 8 or 9 a.m.
He said BC Wheelchair Sports is always looking for more people to get involved in wheelchair tennis.
Anyone in Kamloops who wants to get involved with the sport can email their program manager at [email protected].
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