Walsall Man Becomes First Wheelchair Athlete To Take Part In New Tennis Tournament

Walsall wheelchair athlete David Sinclair has become the first disabled tennis player to take part in a brand new ‘touchtennis’ tournament – the UK-wide, fast-paced, accessible version of the game.

Sinclair made his debut this weekend at the inaugural Black Country Open against able-bodied tennis players and believes that the region has the capacity to become of the best in the country in wheelchair tennis.

touchtennis is a modern and exciting form of the game which is played with high-density foam balls on small courts – ideally suited to anyone who wants a fast-paced version of the game. Sinclair, who played four matches – winning one and losing three – became the first wheelchair athlete to take part in a touchtennis tournament anywhere in the country.

This weekend was a fantastic experience and to become the first wheelchair athlete to take part in a touchtennis tournament was a source of great pride. I’ll be back next year. We have a small but vibrant community of wheelchair tennis players across the West Midlands. I have no doubt that if there were more indoor facilities that we would see many more people with disabilities taking up tennis".

David was a keen tennis player before an accident in his teens left him in a wheelchair and unsure he would play again. However, with the support of the University of Wolverhampton and Walsall-based tennis coach Clayton Edge, he has started to thrive at the new version of the sport.

David used to play at the Walsall Arboretum but it was the move indoors at the University of Wolverhampton’s Walsall campus that transformed his game.

It’s hard to move a wheelchair around on grass especially when it’s wet. Moving indoors meant that I could suddenly play all-year round”.

The Lawn Tennis Association has recently announced a historic funding opportunity of £125m which they want to invest in Transforming British Tennis Together – programme of investment in facilities to allow more people to play more often.

Local coach Clayton Edge says it is an incredible opportunity for the sport to grow:

I would call on anyone who wants to see more people playing tennis, enjoying the sport and being active to think seriously about applying for some of this remarkable amount of funding. It is an amazing opportunity to transform facilities in the Midlands are get more people playing. We love our tennis here and I believe that tennis in the region could really take off with some of this investment in indoor courts. It's a huge opportunity for partners to work with the LTA to make a real difference to communities."

Van Willerton, Regional Participation Manager for the LTA in the Midlands, said:

We’re very proud to work with Clayton in delivering programmes like touchtennis, which is a form of tennis that is absolutely suitable for everyone. The fact that David can play with able-bodied athletes here at the University of Wolverhampton is a fantastic example of how these programmes can be enjoyed by all. The key to increasing opportunities for people to play is through facilities like these here at the University’s Walsall campus and, with the recent record level of funding for grassroots facilities available through Transforming British Tennis Together, there has never been a better time for clubs, universities and local authorities to tell the LTA what is needed in their local areas to get more people playing the game.”

The LTA is now calling on tennis clubs, parks, local government, volunteers, coaches and businesses across the region to come together and register their interest in bidding for investment to transform their local tennis facilities at www.lta.org.uk/TBTT.

There are also opportunities to join the LTA at regional roadshows in the region to find out more about Transforming British Tennis Together and what the investment can do in local areas. To sign up for a roadshow event, visit www.lta.org.uk/venuemanagement/facilities-advice

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