Tennis
Overview
- Athletes use rackets to hit a ball over a net to compete for points.
- This is a three-set match, with the first to win two sets winning the match.
Features as deaf sport
When hearing athletes play tennis, they intuitively use the sound of the ball being hit to judge the ball’s distance and respond accordingly, which makes sound extremely important. However, instead of sounds, deaf athletes respond and prepare to make offensive and defensive manoeuvres by using their eyes to see where the ball is headed after it has been hit.
Additionally, in the case of doubles, combination plays become difficult because they cannot hear call outs from their partners, making in-game communication difficult. Players have recently started to use signs after every point to decide on their respective positions and their defensive or offensive strategies.
During self-judged games, instead of calling out the score by voice, they use competition signs to indicate the score with their hands and fingers.
Event
24th Summer Deaflympics (2022, CAXIAS DO SUL)
- Singles (Men, Women)
- Doubles (Men, Women, Mixed)
