Wheelchair Tennis takes center court: Google Doodle celebrates Paralympic spirit
Google's latest doodle pays tribute to wheelchair tennis at the Paris Paralympics 2024, showcasing animated birds engaged in the sport. The doodle coincides with the commencement of wheelchair tennis events at Stade Roland-Garros, scheduled from August 30th to September 7th.
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FollowGoogle honoured the wheelchair tennis competition on Tuesday with an interesting doodle that included animated birds, in keeping with the Paris Paralympics 2024's ongoing fascination with sports fans throughout the globe. The doodle depicts two birds in a wheelchair engaging in the activity in the immaculate Jardin du Palais Royal, often known as Jardin des Tuileries, in Paris.
“Ace attitudes and stellar serves. Wheelchair Tennis starts today at Stade Roland-Garros!” the search engine wrote on its official Google Doodles page. The Doodle, which shows the Paralympic birds participating in wheelchair tennis, has colourful and energetic artwork that perfectly conveys the spirit of the sport.
The 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris kick-started wheelchair tennis events on August 30 and they will end on September 7 at the Roland Garros Stadium, famous for its clay courts. Men's, women's, and quads divisions will all have singles and doubles matches during the competition.
Wheelchair tennis was introduced to the Paralympic Games in Barcelona in 1992, and it is now a feature of all four Grand Slam competitions. As of right now, the official website of the International Tennis Federation Wheelchair Tennis Tour lists over 150 tournaments.
The 17th edition of the Summer Paralympics began on August 28, days after the Summer Olympic Games 2024 concluded this year.
History of wheelchair tennis
Wheelchair tennis was founded in 1976 by US freestyle skier Brad Parks. The sport quickly gained popularity and it was introduced to the Paralympic Games in 1992. With a few modifications to allow for wheelchair use, the rules of the game are the same as those of regular tennis. In this sport, which allows players to return the ball after two bounces, a remarkable variety of manoeuvres and strategies are used to showcase players' power, dexterity, and agility.
The International Paralympic Committee mentions: “Wheelchair tennis was founded in 1976 following work by former US freestyle skier Brad Parks.The sport grew in the 1980s as France became the first country in Europe to put together a specific wheelchair tennis programme. The sport made its first appearance at the Barcelona 1992 Paralympics.”
