Maida Vale’s Naqi Rizvi had the opportunity to play tennis on the impeccable courts at Wimbledon in the visually impaired event last week – and enjoyed an unforgettable experience at SW19.
Rizvi, 33, who works in financial services and is the world number one blind tennis player, featured in the national finals at the Play Your Way to Wimbledon event, powered by Vodafone – the largest individual mass participation tennis competition in the UK.
Thousands of players took part in the qualifying stages this year, leading to county and regional finals in June and July, with the winners progressing to the national finals at Wimbledon.
Rizvi, who has been playing for eight years, was thrilled to attend Wimbledon and revealed it was an experience he will never forget.
He said: “It’s amazing to be here – the prestige of the whole Championships and the venue is just absolutely brilliant.
“When I tried blind tennis, I fell in love with it and just kept going and getting better. To be around the best visually impaired players in the country who get selected is great.
“Our community is small and everyone is very nice and friendly – on court, that’s not always the case! This opportunity to be able to play here and give visually impaired tennis more visibility is great.
“Disability sports are slowly growing but Visually Impaired tennis is nowhere near the top, so I’d love more opportunities to show people how brilliant it can be when people can’t see but can still play tennis.”
The competition looks to inspire the next generation of tennis talent; enabling players of all ages to follow in the footsteps of their heroes and compete for a chance to play on Wimbledon’s iconic courts.
Formerly known as the Road to Wimbledon, the competition is supported by Vodafone in partnership with the LTA and the All England Club, as a collective commitment to support grassroots tennis in the UK.
This year’s event will be the largest finals in the competition’s history, adding a junior wheelchair pathway, plus exhibitions of para standing and deaf tennis.
The 2023 competition saw record participation as the event opened up to more players, with the introduction of qualifying rounds for three disability categories split between Visual Impairment, Learning Disability and Wheelchair tennis, as well as an Adult Doubles pathway.
Former British No.1 and Vodafone Ambassador Tim Henman was in attendance to cheer on the players at SW19 and offer his experience and advice.
He said: “Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, is an incredible opportunity for people from every walk of life to pick up a racket and get involved and it’s been great to see so many players taking part in this year’s competition.
“This is an opportunity that not many get, so there are lots of people walking around with big smiles on their faces!
“I would encourage the finalists to enjoy their matches, soak it all up, take that experience away with you and spread the word. Hopefully we can keep increasing participation numbers.”
Former British No.1nd Vodafone Ambassador Laura Robson led a coaching clinic alongside the All England Club’s Head Coach Dan Bloxham, allowing players who just missed out on the 14U national finals to experience grass court play.
Robson said: “I really enjoy hosting the coaching clinic at Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone. The kids work so hard and have a smile on their face the entire time, which is exactly what you want.
“Being at Wimbledon is a highlight of the year for many and it’s made even more special by having everything set up exactly as it was during The Championships earlier this summer.
“I played in this competition when it was ‘Road to Wimbledon’, so it’s really exciting to see how much it has expanded over the years to include more players, especially across wheelchair, learning disability and visual impairment categories. Hopefully we can create some amazing memories for the players out there and continue encouraging others to pick up a racket.”
Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, is the UK’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition, providing recreational players of all ages and abilities the opportunity to compete at Wimbledon. The All England Club and LTA are proud to partner with Vodafone to expand the competition in 2024.
