Wando-gun, Key Points to Watch in Tennis at the Jeonnam Disabled Sports Festival

Published 23 Mar.2023 13:07(KST)

Match Held at Wando Tennis Court on May 25

The 31st Jeonnam Disabled Sports Festival will be held in Wando County from May 24 to 26.

According to Wando County on the 23rd, the organizing committee of the event is introducing the rules and viewing points of each sport every week so that residents and spectators can enjoy the games more.

The 31st Jeonnam Disabled Sports Festival tennis match will be held at Wando Tennis Court [Photo provided by Wando-gun]

The sport being introduced this time is ‘tennis,’ which is also called wheelchair tennis because disabled athletes move while riding wheelchairs, and all rules except for some are applied the same as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) rules.

However, unlike regular tennis, a major difference is that two bounces are allowed, and shifting the center of gravity using the body is not permitted.

The first bounce must occur within the court, and during a serve, if the rear wheels of the wheelchair cross beyond the baseline, it is considered a wheelchair fault.

During the match, if the ball touches any part of the wheelchair, the body (except the racket), or any object the player holds, the player loses the point.

The tennis competition of the 31st Jeonnam Disabled Sports Festival will take place on May 25 at the Wando Tennis Court, with about 30 players from 22 cities and counties participating in men's and women's singles, doubles, and team events.

All matches are conducted in a tournament format and played as best of three sets per match.

For singles, up to four players per city or county can enter, and for team events, only one team with two players can register.

Meanwhile, players participating in singles or doubles are not allowed to participate in the team event.

Eligibility requires registration as a player for the provincial sports festival within the designated period, and players or officials registered in other cities or provinces are restricted from participating.

In the previous 30th tournament, the men's singles winners were 1st place Gwangyang, 2nd place Mokpo, and 3rd place Suncheon; men's doubles winners were 1st place Suncheon, 2nd place Gwangyang, and 3rd place Mokpo; women's singles winners were 1st and 2nd place Yeosu, and 3rd place Suncheon; women's doubles winners were 1st place Suncheon, 2nd place Yeosu, and 3rd place Mokpo.

In this 31st tournament, the viewing point will be whether Gwangyang and Suncheon will continue their consecutive wins in the men's division or if Mokpo City will defeat Gwangyang and Suncheon to claim a new victory.

In the women's division, it will be worth watching whether Yeosu and Suncheon will continue their consecutive wins or if Mokpo City will claim a new championship.