Blind Tennis

Visually Impaired and blind Tennis banner

Blind Tennis often called Soundball Tennis is played on either a badminton court or a standard tennis court using a junior tennis racket and an adapted sponge ball that makes a noise when it bounces. Balls can be either black or florescent yellow to give maximum contrast with the colour of the sports hall.

Introduction to Blind Tennis video below

The standard rules of tennis apply with just a few modifications: if you’re totally blind you’re allowed three bounces, those with partial sight are allowed two. Just like standard tennis, you can play singles or doubles. Sighted players can play against visually impaired players, but they’re allowed only one bounce and no volleying.

To find out more about what we offer or to get involved, contact Odette Battarel email: Odette.battarel@gmail.com or Linda Almond: laalmond2018@gmail.com

 Tennis event page Link Below

 http://bit.ly/MBSTennisEvents

 

Latest Tennis Events

Leeds VI Tennis Tournament

Venue:
JCCS Tennis Centre, South Leeds Stadium, Middleton Grove,
Leeds, West Yorkshire LS11 5DJ United Kingdom 
Time:
TBC - TBC
Phone:
+44 (0)208 487 7000
Date:
05th September 2020
Cost:
TBC
Contact:
Nicholas.Smith2@leeds.gov.uk
More Info

London VI Tennis Tournament

Venue:
The National Tennis Centre, 100 Priory Lane, Roehampton, London SW15 5JQ
Time:
TBC - TBC
Phone:
+44 (0)208 487 7000
Date:
10th September 2020
Cost:
TBC
Contact:
lhntennis@gmail.com
More Info

Linda Almond Volunteer of the Year Nominee!

We wanted to share the video about Linda,  our awesome Tennis Volunteer Co-Ordinator,  that was made for the London Sports Awards 2020.

Linda Almond Volunteer of the Year Video Below!

All at Metro want to send Linda and her amazing group of volunteers our heartfelt thanks and never-ending gratitude for all their hard work,  Due to you we can offer regular blind and partially sighted tennis lessons at the Islington Tennis Centre!


Tennis Volunteers always welcomed

If you want to try volunteering for Blind tennis, please Contact: Linda Almond 
or call 07775 894136

 

sport Islington logo

A big thank you to Sport Islington for their help in supporting the Metro Blind Sport Tennis  sessions

What Metro can offer:

  • Regular evening practice sessions in London with a coach on hand
  • An annual national tournament in the autumn (thanks to support from the Tennis Foundation)
  • Support to achieve a coaching certificate
  • Sessions for adults and juniors. Islington Tennis Centre Friday sessions are for partially sighted players. National Tennis Centre Friday sessions are for advanced players.
  • Wednesday sessions are for totally blind players (B1) and people who have never played tennis before.
  • Subsidies to help with travel and accommodation to qualifying LTA Tennis Tournaments.

VI Tennis Regional Tournaments Calendar 2020

The LTA are really excited to announce that there will be 11 Regional VI Tournaments in 2020!! Most dates are now finalised with just a few of the ones at the end of the year needing to be confirmed by venues.

Hopefully, these extra tournaments might mean some of you don’t need to travel so far to compete as we have a nice spread of where the new ones are taking place.

  • 20 Nov –  Wrexham VI National Final – (Wrexham Tennis Centre)           Contact:  Liz Terry liz.terry@lta.org.uk

Metro would always advise to phone or email the event contacts to confirm there have been no last-minute changes or cancellations.

For more information, please contact Liz.Terry@lta.org.uk

Call the LTA Services Team on +44 (0)208 487 7000 for an expert member of the team to assist with any queries you may have.

To use the tournament search on the LTA website you will need to register and become an LTA Member, you will  also need to  tick the disability option and choose your dates ( at the moment of writing this –  2 Dec 2019 – there are No 2020 dates available, but no doubt they will be added)

Website: https://www3.lta.org.uk/Competitions/Search/ 

 

LTA Disability Competitions Calendar and Entry links

LTA Disability Competitions Calendar:  https://blindsport.uk/LTAVIComps

LTA Disability area:  https://blindsport.uk/LTAVITennis

To confirm and for latest updated info please use the contact below

Contact:  Email: disabilitycompetitions@lta.org.uk

 

 Tennis event page Link Below

 http://bit.ly/MBSTennisEvents

 

VI Guide to Tennis

Download latest Blind Tennis guide – Word version – December 2016

Download latest Blind Tennis guide – PDF version – December 2016

 

Link below to the final points table for 2019!

Visually Impaired Regional 2019 Points Table

Great Britain Squad Selection Policy for Blind and Visually Impaired Tennis

The Great Britain VI Tennis Squad (GB VI Squad) is run by the LTA
to find and develop players who have the potential to win medals at
international events. PDF download link to the policy below.

Link here: https://blindsport.uk/VISquadPolicy

 

VI Tennis Development & Competitions.

Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Contacts

 

The Positive Impact of Disability Tennis report

This can be downloaded from the Tennis Foundation’s website link below

DOWNLOAD REPORT: The Positive Impact of Disability Tennis

 

Want to know more about Blind Tennis?

To find out more about what we offer or to get involved, contact Odette battarel odetteb@pocklington-trust.org.uk

You can watch a video of Odette being interviewed about Sound Ball Tennis at the link below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGOjB5ZVSj4

 

Latest VI Advisory Groups agreed on VI Tennis Rules 

Download: the full VI Tennis Advisory Group Document below
Feedback Word document here

See rules for more info.

IBTA Classification Rules and Procedures 2019

Link to word document https://blindsport.uk/IBTARules2019

 

BLINDFOLD REQUIREMENTS

Players competing in the B1 sport class are required to wear a blindfold as mentioned in section (2.3). Only proper blindfolds or eyeshades providing ample cover around the eyes, support and light obstruction will be accepted. Makeshift or non-sport specific blindfolds will not be accepted (Example: Sleeping masks). Similarly, damaged beyond functionality blindfolds (allowing the player to peek through or under) will also be rejected. Tempered blindfolds will be ground for disqualification”

A few suggested blindfolds but NOT limited to those are:

More Blindfolds Links Below

 

Visually Impaired Tennis Advisory Group (VIAG)

The  Advisory Group consists of various stakeholders involved in the sport, it aims to support the development of VI tennis within the UK. The Group meet 3-4 times a year to discuss matters including rules/regulations, competitions, classifications and international engagement and to enable good communication between the LTA, players, coaches etc. about developments and issues facing the sport

Paul Gillet has recently been appointed as area rep for the south which includes Metro Blind Sport and  he would be pleased to receive news from anyone involved in the sport about new developments as well as any queries, concerns or suggestions

You may contact at any time on soundtennissussex@gmail.com or through facebook. We aim also to notify everyone in good time before future meetings.

The following people have been appointed onto the VI advisory group:

Player Rep – Sidney Tambin – Sidney.Tambin@googlemail.com
North Rep – Graeme Manwell – gmanwell@googlemail.com
Midlands Rep – Phillip Hancock – Philhancock1979@aol.com
South Rep – Paul Gillett – soundtennissussex@gmail.com
Coach Rep – Louise Assioun – lassioun@yahoo.co.uk
BBS – Logan Gray – logan@britishblindsport.org.uk
LTA – Liz Terry – Liz.Terry@lta.org.uk / Dave Hardman – David.hardman@lta.org.uk

 

Metro Annual Tennis Tournaments

Read about the Metro Annual Tennis Tournaments and a new players perspective by clicking on ‘Articles’ in the Quicklinks box on this page. For an umpire’s view of the 2012 Tournament, Visit: http://www.csp.org.uk/frontline/article/viewpoint-tennis-anyone

Watch a video on Metro the Tennis Foundation website of metro members playing at the National Tennis Centre

To read about Miyoshi Takei, the inventor of blind tennis, visit:http://www.hanno.jp/matsui/

 

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