Supporting disabled people at your venue
Disabled people should have the same opportunity to enjoy tennis and padel as anyone else. Many venues are already creating welcoming and accessible environments by removing barriers, adapting activities and working with local partners.
Accessibility goes beyond facilities alone. It includes communication, programming, confidence and creating environments where people feel comfortable taking part.
Whether you are just beginning your journey or looking to develop existing provision, the resources below can help.
Disability tennis
Find out more about wheelchair, deaf, visually impaired, learning disability and para-standing tennis - understanding the different audiences and how people can get more involved.
Find out about Disability Tennis
Open Court Programme
Our Open Court Programme is a Sport England and LTA Tennis Foundation-funded participation programme that enables tennis and padel venues to open up accessible playing, competitive, and workforce opportunities, helping more disabled people and those with long-term health conditions get involved in the sport.
Discover the Open Court Programme
Partner organisations
Below are some example partner organisations who you can work through to support your engagement with underrepresented disabled and impairment specific audiences:
- Access Sport
- Sport in Mind
- British Blind Sport
- WheelPower
- CP Sport
- LimbPower
- Dwarf Sport Association UK
- UK Deaf Sport
- Special Olympics
- Parkinson’s UK
Open Your Doors course
Improve your disability-inclusion knowledge by learning how to provide a welcoming, accessible and inclusive tennis or padel environment, specifically tailored for disabled people.
The course explores the diverse needs of disabled people, the reasonable adjustments needed and how to improve accessibility at your venue.
Wheelchair Performance Pathway
The LTA’s Wheelchair Performance Pathway is made up of LTA Delivered Programmes and LTA Supported Initiatives, each with their own support structure to get more players on court with the athletic potential to progress up the Wheelchair Performance Pathway.
Learn more about the Wheelchair Performance Pathway
Coach Grant Scheme for Disabled People
If you’re disabled and/or have a long-term health condition that has lasted more than 12 months, we can support you on your journey to becoming a tennis coach.
Our Coach Grant Scheme for Disabled People aims to support coaches who are interested in taking their Level 1 -3 qualifications.
Find out more about the Coach Grant Scheme for Disabled People