UTA delight in wheelchair tennis arrival
New Facet. ITF in conjuction with UTA have launched wheelchair tennis in Uganda, starting with an introductory course held over the last week in Kampala. PHOTO BY DEUS BUGEMBE
What you need to know:
- Starting with next year, UTA will be organising competitive wheelchair tennis events and tournaments in a bid to promote inclusion in the game. ITF is also expected to offer more resources for the new game to flourish.
Uganda Tennis Association have hit a milestone after initiating a new facet of the game in wheelchair tennis with mentorship from the world governing body, International Tennis Federation (ITF).
For the last four days, ITF wheelchair tennis expert Lawrence Karanja has run a development programme at the Ramgharia Sikh Sports Club with 12 coaches, nine tennis players and seven athletes from the Uganda Paralympic Association partaking.
The new dawn is set to put local tennis in a new place and UTA chairman Cedric Ndilima Babu is happy with the step towards the inclusion drive. “Many people only know about mainstream tennis,” said Babu.
“But there are so many other types and one of them is wheelchair and we are happy to announce the beginning of this event so that people who are physically handicapped can also access similar resources and play.”
If anything new is to take off, numbers and interest play a vital role. It’s something UTA have on their side according to Karanja. “It’s touching and humbling when you see the hunger, interest and determination from everyone. We have been receiving many calls from interested people since the first day,” said the ITF expert.
Charles Mutebi, 32, is a para athlete who has already represented Uganda in wheelchair basketball also plays badminton and wheelchair racing.
The introduction of wheelchair tennis is music to his ears as he targets new opportunities and experiences. “It’s an opportunity we have been waiting for because it can push us forward with international tournaments on top of earning some money, too. It’s an individual sport which can also help us express ourselves,” said a beaming Mutebi.
Starting with next year, UTA will be organising competitive wheelchair tennis events and tournaments in a bid to promote inclusion in the game. ITF is also expected to offer more resources for the new game to flourish.
