Tennis Canada is proud to announce that Canadian wheelchair tennis pioneers Christian Gingras, Séverine Tamborero and Kai Schrameyer, a dual Canadian-German citizen, have been inducted into the World Tennis Wheelchair Hall of Champions, a new initiative launched by World Tennis as part of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of wheelchair tennis in 2026.
The three Canadians will be recognized at a ceremony at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montreal on August 11, where they will be celebrated for their outstanding contributions to the growth and development of wheelchair tennis in Canada and internationally.
Created by World Tennis to commemorate five decades since the founding of wheelchair tennis in 1976, the Hall of Champions recognizes players, coaches, administrators and pioneers whose lasting impact has helped shape the sport's history and future.
"Kai, Christian, and Séverine have each played an instrumental role in building wheelchair tennis in Canada," said Janet Petras, Director of High-Performance Operations and Paralympic Programs at Tennis Canada. "Their passion, leadership, expertise and commitment have helped create opportunities for generations of athletes and have left a legacy that continues to influence the sport today. This recognition from World Tennis is incredibly well deserved."
Kai Schrameyer (Player/Contributor)
A former world No. 1 wheelchair tennis player and three-time Paralympic medallist for Germany, Schrameyer has been a driving force behind the growth of wheelchair tennis in Canada since joining Tennis Canada in 2010. As National Coach of Wheelchair Tennis, he has overseen high-performance and development programming across the country while helping Canadian athletes reach new heights on the international stage. Under his leadership, Canada claimed its first wheelchair tennis medal at the Parapan American Games in 2015 before earning its first gold medal four years later.
Schrameyer’s accolades as a coach were made possible by the expertise and passion he developed throughout his time as a player. He enjoyed one of the sport's most successful playing careers, highlighted by a world championship title in 1993, a world No. 1 ranking and three Paralympic medals. His dedication to growing wheelchair tennis worldwide was recognized in 2021 when he received the World Tennis Brad Parks Award for outstanding international contribution to the sport.
Christian Gingras (Contributor)
One of Canada's most respected wheelchair tennis coaches, Gingras has devoted more than two decades to athlete development and national team success. A long-time member of Tennis Canada's wheelchair tennis program, he has served as a national team coach, World Team Cup captain, and Paralympic coach while helping establish Canada as a competitive force on the international stage.
In 2015, Gingras coached Philippe Bédard and Joel Dembe to Canada's first-ever wheelchair tennis medal at a major multi-sport Games when the pair captured bronze at the Toronto Parapan American Games. His achievements were recognized the following year when he was named the World Tennis (then ITF) Wheelchair Tennis Coach of the Year, becoming one of the sport's most distinguished coaching figures.
Séverine Tamborero (Contributor)
A respected high-performance coach and longtime leader within Canadian tennis, Tamborero played a pivotal role in the development of wheelchair tennis during her tenure with Tennis Canada. Between 2000 and 2009, she led Canada's national wheelchair tennis program and coached the team at three Paralympic Games (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and Beijing 2008).
Beyond wheelchair tennis, Tamborero has spent more than three decades helping shape athlete and coach development in Canada. An NCCP Level 4 coach and graduate of Montreal's National Coaching Institute, she has held numerous leadership positions within Tennis Canada and remains an influential voice in high-performance sport as a mentor, consultant, author and analyst.
Celebrating 50 Years of Wheelchair Tennis
Wheelchair tennis was founded in 1976 by Brad Parks and has grown into one of the most successful and widely played adaptive sports in the world. The discipline became a full medal sport at the Paralympic Games in 1992 and is now featured at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
In 1998, the ITF, now World Tennis, became the first international federation to fully integrate wheelchair tennis into its governance. As part of the sport's 50th anniversary celebrations, World Tennis has launched the Hall of Champions to recognize the athletes, coaches and contributors whose efforts have driven that growth over the past five decades.
Fans attending the National Bank Open in Montreal will have the opportunity to celebrate Schrameyer, Gingras and Tamborero during a special presentation on August 11.
