Wheelchair Tennis

Took to the court again today. It really is a promising sport for me. I used to play alot of tennis a few years ago, and if I can get to the ball, I can still hit it pretty well. The shots are slightly different from a seated position, but that's not the real problem. The real problem is no longer moving instinctively. The real problem is watching the ball heading for my nose and sitting motionless, caught in bewilderment and confusion until the last second, when I attempt to bend my elbow the wrong way, and lamely flap the racket at the ball. Immediately after this pathetic display the ball hits me on the nose. Curses.

The big attraction of wheelchair tennis is the opportunity to take to the court in our local park and actually be able to play against able bodied friends, the difference being that the wheelchair player gets an extra bounce to compensate for the extra time it takes to recover court position, and it works remarkably well as an inclusive sport, rather than playing basketball with seven other wheelchair users. Oh, I'm so fickle.

Below is a clip from YouTube of a man who seems to have got the hang of it...