Wimbledon Foundation and ITF donate wheelchair to Tanzania

The Wimbledon Foundation and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have teamed up to donate an (Invacare Top End) pro wheelchair to the wheelchair tennis programme in Tanzania. 

The chair, originally donated by Invacare to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, had been exhibited at the Museum as part of the Olympic/Paralympic exhibition. 

World No.18 and ITF Wheelchair Tennis Ambassador Tommy Robredo and Honor Godfrey, Curator of Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and Mark Bullock, manager of the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Department, presented the chair to Alexandra Robson-Hanafin from the Friends of the Children of Tanzania at The All England Lawn Tennis Club.  

The Friends of the Children of Tanzania sponsors the wheelchair tennis programme run by the Tanzanian Tennis Federation.  Wheelchair tennis started in Tanzania back in 2006 through the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Development Fund, with programmes now occurring in three different schools within Dar-es Salaam, adult programmes located in Dar-Es Salaam and an expansion of the programme to Buboka.

Tanzanian players have started to compete on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour and teams have competed at the BNP Paribas African Qualification World Team Cup event with the junior team receiving the Team of the Year award at the 2013 BNP Paribas World Group event. 

Mark Bullock commented: ‘We are delighted to be in a position to provide a tennis wheelchair to Tanzania through the generosity of the Wimbledon Foundation and Invacare. This is also a good opportunity to thank ITF Wheelchair Tennis Ambassador Tommy Robredo for his support of this aspect of tennis.”

On behalf of the Wimbledon Foundation Honor Godfrey said: “The wheelchair formed a key part of our Olympic and Paralympic exhibition and we are delighted that it will now go on to play a similarly important role with children’s wheelchair tennis in Tanzania.”   

Find out more about wheelchair tennis at Wimbledon and beyond