Wheelchair tennis officially joined the Paralympic program at the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, four years after being a demonstration sport in Seoul. The Paralympic Games featured only men’s and women’s draws until 2004, when the quad tournament also joined the field. Wheelchair tennis has now awarded medals at seven Paralympic Games.
Canada has yet to win a tennis medal at the Paralympic Games. Sarah Hunter and Brian McPhate posted the nation’s best-ever finish so far, coming in fourth place at the Athens 2004 Games in quad doubles.
ELIGIBILITY STATUS OF CANADIAN PLAYERS
Qualification for the Paralympics will be based on ranking. The Top 32 men, 20 women, and 12 quad athletes in the ITF rankings will gain automatic acceptance to the Paralympics. Here is how the Canadians currently stand as of Apr. 22, 2024:
In Position to Qualify:
- Rob Shaw (Quads – ITF No. 8)
Currently Outside Qualifying Zone:
- Thomas Venos (Men’s – ITF No. 53)
- Barry Henderson (Men’s – ITF No. 89)
- Natalia Lanucha (Women’s – ITF No. 44)
- Anne-Marie Dolinar (Women’s – ITF No. 55)
- Mitch McIntyre (Quads – ITF No. 27)
CLICK HERE for more information about the Paralympic tennis competition.