Wheelchair tennis rolls into communities.

Wheelchair tennis, a sport that has flown under the radar for many years, is finally having its breakout year in 2005. Within a four-month span, players from the U.S. will have the chance to showcase their talent on a world-wide stage.

In June, representatives of the U.S. traveled to Groningen, the Netherlands, to take on the world's top players at the Invacare World Team Cup--the premier international team event in wheelchair tennis. In late July, players of all ages and abilities competed at the National Public Parks Championships in Stamford, Conn. Then in September, during the second week of the U.S. Open, in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., the inaugural U.S. Open Wheelchair Tennis Competition took the stage.

The sport is one of the few that has minimal rule variances from the able-bodied game. In fact, there is only one in wheelchair tennis--the player is allowed two bounces as opposed to one, which allows for easy competition between any type of athlete.

Invacare World Team Cup brought the highest level of the game to Groningen, where the top players from 32 countries around the globe vied against one another in team competition. The U.S. sent four teams: men, women, quad and juniors.

The quad team continued its success from the 2004 Paralympics where the team of David Wagner and Nick Taylor took home the gold medal for doubles, and Wagner won the silver in singles. In Groningen, those two players helped lead the team to the finals, where they defeated the team from Israel, taking home the World Team Cup for the U.S. The women finished in sixth place with solid play from all the team members, and the juniors fell just short of third place, losing in a heart-breaker to the Netherlands. The men finished in the top half, but were able to secure their position in World Group I, enabling them compete for the World Team Cup in 2006.

At the National Public Parks Championships, the level of play may not have been quite as high, but the message of inclusion was on full display throughout the tournament. Players in wheelchairs had the opportunity to compete against other athletes within specific divisions or enter in competition against players who aren't disabled. This is what made the National Public Parks Championships such an amazing tournament--giving all individuals, regardless of age or ability, the chance to win.

Finally, at the U.S. Open, for the first time, the U.S. Open Wheelchair Tennis Competition took place. The event elevated wheelchair tennis to the sport's grandest stage, bringing 16 of the top players from around the world to compete against one another in front of an electric New York crowd. Players competed in four events: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles.