Twelve wheelchair tennis athletes from Japan, Canada, and the United States — all of whom are aspiring Paralympians — are set to compete at the third annual Wheelchair Tennis Global Challenge, January 25-26 at Terry Rhodes Tennis Center within the California State University Long Beach Campus.
B-Adaptive Foundation (BAF) a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that is hosting the Global Challenge, notes in a media release that the event is an excellent opportunity for young athletes to compete against rivals from other countries and to learn from other cultures. Additionally, all athletes competing in the Global Challenge are unaccompanied by parents, creating an environment for independence and self-confidence.
The following players have been invited to compete, based on the recommendation by the Japan Wheelchair Tennis Association, US Tennis Association, and Tennis Canada:
JAPAN: Chiyo Sasaki, Akane Toya, Junya Fukuda, Daiki Shimizu
USA: Michelle Wilson, Chris Kelly, Cole Wooten, Charlie Cooper
Canada: Amy DeWolff, Callum Robertson, Kai Davis, John Chen
During the event on January 25, BAF will also host a “1 Up 1 Down” doubles tournament, where one wheelchair tennis player pairs with one able-bodied player to play a doubles match. Wheelchair tennis players representing the Southern California community will gather, and BAF is still accepting able-bodied tennis players interested in participating in the tournament, the release continues.
The Wheelchair Tennis Global Challenge is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am PST on both days. For more information, visit B-Adaptive Foundation.
[Source(s): B-Adaptive Foundation, Newswire]
