Tennis Canada today unveiled the 2026 cohorts for the National High Performance Program (NHPP) and National Development Program (NDP), which are designed for Canada's top and up-and-coming wheelchair tennis players.
This year's NHPP class includes returning players Frédérique Bérubé Perron, Shawn Courchesne, Anne-Marie Dolinar, Barry Henderson, Natalia Lanucha, Mitch McIntyre, Thomas Venos, and former NDP member Se Youn Moon. Rob Shaw, Canada's most decorated wheelchair tennis player and former member of the NHPP, will not be back, having announced his retirement in January. The 2026 NDP group will consist of returnees John Chen, Patrick Levis, Hisham Mohammad, and Lachlan Sandford.
“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and resilience our Canadian wheelchair tennis athletes have shown over the past year, and we’re excited to carry this momentum into 2026,” said Kai Schrameyer, National Wheelchair Tennis Coach at Tennis Canada. “The success of our National High Performance and National Development Programs reflects the strength of our pathway and the commitment of our players, coaches, and support staff nationwide. With eight players ranked in the Top 100 in their divisions – and several more close behind – this is a tremendous achievement. We’re determined to grow that number and help our top athletes reach new heights this season.”
NHPP AND NDP ATHLETES
PLAYER | HOMETOWN | DIVISION & RANKING | PROGRAM |
Frédérique Bérubé Perron | St. Bruno, Quebec | Women’s World No. 115 | NHPP |
Shawn Courchesne | Brampton, Ontario | Quad’s World No. 24 | NHPP |
Anne-Marie Dolinar | Deep River, Ontario | Women’s World No. 52 | NHPP |
Barry Henderson | Mission, British Columbia | Men’s World No 94 | NHPP |
Natalia Lanucha | Pincourt, Quebec | Women’s World No. 86 | NHPP |
Mitch McIntyre | Vancouver, British Columbia | Quad’s World No. 64 | NHPP |
Se Youn Moon | Richmond, British Columbia | Men’s World No. 103 | NHPP |
Thomas Venos | Anmore, British Columbia | Men’s World No. 34 | NHPP |
John Chen | Richmond, British Columbia | Men’s World No. 125 | NDP |
Patrick Levis | Victoria, British Columbia | Men’s World No. 139 | NDP |
Hisham Mohammad | Hamilton, Ontario | Quad’s World No. 54 | NDP |
Lachlan Sandford | Mission, British Columbia | Quad’s World No 57 | NDP |
WORLD TEAM CUP QUALIFICATION
The BNP Paribas World Team Cup Americas Qualification will take place in Lima, Peru from March 2-6, 2026, and will feature a Canadian men’s team and quad team. The event is considered to be the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup of wheelchair tennis, with teams aiming to advance to the World Team Cup Final in September.
NHHP athletes Venos and Henderson will represent Canada in the men's division. This will be the fifth time Venos has participated in the World Team Cup Qualification, and the fourth time for Henderson. Their division will include teams from Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, and Uruguay. The quad team will be represented by NHPP member Courchesne and NDP athlete Sandford. This will be the second time Courchesne dons the maple leaf at the event, while Sandford gets set for his debut. The quad division includes Argentina, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Ecuador, Japan, Peru, and the Republic of Korea.
The four Canadian athletes will be accompanied in Lima by men's team captain Sarah Kadi, quad team captain Joel Cruz, Mara Chaplin as athletic therapist, and Shaw, who has represented Canada on numerous occasions, as team manager.
To follow the action on the clay courts of the Club Lawn Tennis de la Exposición as Canada attempts to qualify for the World Team Cup Final, click here.
