This summer's US Open will be a historic one for wheelchair tennis: The 2022 US Open Wheelchair Championships presented by Deloitte will not only boast the largest player field in Grand Slam history, but will also feature a junior competition—a first for tennis' four biggest events.
This also will be the second consecutive year that the US Open is expanding its wheelchair field. In advance of the 2021 US Open, the quad draw was doubled in size from four to eight competitors. The men's and women's singles fields will also double in 2022, each consisting of 16 players, with eight doubles teams in each draw. These larger draw sizes will not only provide more professional wheelchair tennis players the opportunity to compete on the Grand Slam stage, but to earn valuable ranking points and prize money as well.
“The USTA remains committed to providing more opportunities at the highest level of our sport,” Stacey Allaster, US Open Tournament Director, said. “We are honored to be able to serve as a global leader, and to continue to follow in the US Open’s overall goals of inclusivity and equality when it comes to the US Open Wheelchair Championships.
"We hope that this is a catalyst for the continued growth of wheelchair tennis, the most effectively integrated and inclusive Paralympic sport in the world.”
The US Open Wheelchair Junior Championships will be introduced with draw sizes of eight girls and eight boys, while the goals of adding a junior wheelchair competition to the Grand Slam event are to showcase the world’s top junior wheelchair tennis players on one of the sport's biggest stages, and to show other young athletes with disabilities that they too can aspire to the highest levels of competition.
The expansion of the US Open Wheelchair Championships presented by Deloitte is the latest step in the USTA’s commitment to the inclusive growth of tennis. The USTA recently became the first national governing body in the world to fully integrate professional wheelchair competition operations within its able-bodied Pro Tennis Operations equivalent.
Billie Jean King, the former US Open champion and tennis icon who has long championed equality in all fields, was among those within the sport to applaud the news. “The expansion of the wheelchair tournament at the US Open and the addition of the inaugural US Open junior wheelchair event are inspirational enhancements to one of the greatest events in all of sports,” King said. “These new opportunities provide growth at multiple levels, allowing more players to compete in the US Open and providing more opportunities for fans to enjoy world class tennis.”
David Haggerty, president of the International Tennis Federartion, added: “The ITF is excited and supportive of the USTA’s leadership to grow professional wheelchair tennis, enhance the junior pathway, and be the first Grand Slam to have a fully integrated Junior Wheelchair Championships within our able-bodied US Open Junior Championships.”
Some of the most accomplished former international wheelchair tennis players also reacted positively.
Brad Parks, wheelchair tennis co-founder and International Tennis Hall of Famer
“It is so hard to believe how far wheelchair tennis has come from when we first started playing in the mid-1970s. Never did I think the day would come when wheelchair tennis would have a full draw at the US Open playing alongside the world's greatest professional players. In addition, having the world's top junior wheelchair tennis players playing alongside the world's best able-bodied junior tennis players is beyond incredible! The USTA has really stepped up to the challenge of being the world's leader in developing the sport of wheelchair tennis. All I can say is thank you. ”
WATCH: Meet Brad Parks in the Seven Pillars of Success, presented by Deloitte
Esther Vergeer, 44-time Grand Slam champion and seven-time Paralympic gold medalist
"It is amazing news on how the US Open is growing and making the effort to continue the development of wheelchair tennis. What is also amazing is to see the quality of play and level growing, so it suits to have this opportunity created. It is great that the US Open wants to take on this responsibility. What is also incredible is the amazing opportunity for the juniors to play in such an environment. That is the best inspiration and motivation to go and get the best out of yourself."
David Hall, former singles and doubles world No. 1 and six-time Paralympic medalist for Australia
"It’s so great that this is a reality! The US Open, since 1980, has been the historical heartbeat of the sport. America led the way in so many ways through the decades, as wheelchair tennis went through many changes worldwide, greater professionalism, more tournaments, camps and players coming into the sport. This expansion of the US Open Championships is another leap forward in showcasing this great sport and maintaining that the game's heartbeat is now stronger than ever.”
Rick Draney, pioneer for quad wheelchair tennis in the U.S. and former world No. 1
"This is incredible news for wheelchair tennis. Kudos to the USTA for their leadership and for furthering the vision of those who have advocated on behalf of wheelchair tennis since its inception. It will be exciting to see the immediate and long-term impacts this will have upon the entire spectrum of participation and competition in wheelchair tennis."
The US Open added men's and women's wheelchair singles and doubles events in 2005, and the quad division debuted in 2007.
