Australian Open makes tennis accessible to all
January 26, 2024
Currently taking place in Melbourne, the 2024 Australian Open (AO) held its second "All Abilities Day" on Tuesday, January 23 to showcase and celebrate a variety of opportunities for all members to participate in the sport. As Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Tennis Australia, Kerry Tavrou has an objective to ensure that the sport touches every area of the community and that all feel welcome.
Research shows that at least two-thirds of the Australian population believe that there isn’t enough representation in sports. For Australia’s Head of Players with a Disability, Danielle Gescheit, this is something that the AO is trying to increase through this initiative. “Tennis is a sport that is truly open for all, with a wide range of pathways available for people of all abilities.
The packed day featured a variety of entry points into the sport, including Wheelchair Tennis, Blind and Low Vision Tennis (BLV), Deaf and Hard of Hearing Tennis (DHOH) and Tennis for Players with Intellectual Impairments (PWII). In addition, Para Standing Tennis was demonstrated for the first time, established to serve those with physical limitations who wish to play tennis without a wheelchair.
This is the most recent in a series of steps the event is taking to broaden its scope and incorporate other sports formats. All of the information booths now have message boards that people with disabilities and people who don't speak English as their first language can use. Last year, the first-ever deaf and hard-of-hearing and intellectually disabled person tournament was hosted at the AO.
For the event to be inclusive and meet everyone's needs, professionals and the board were consulted. As an outcome of an accessibility audit, a new quiet room was added to the sensory rooms for neurodiverse people. This is in addition to support for those who wish to remain mobile on the grounds. “People can hire sensory packs, which include fidget toys, sensory toys or equipment, and then you've also got noise cancelling headphones,” Tavrou explained. “We've tried to think of absolutely everything that anyone might need to make sure their experience of tennis is positive.” And new for 2024, were initiatives to support people with disabilities that are not immediately perceivable called the “Sunflower Initiative.”
80 team members were hired as "inclusion representatives" to help every person in the Melbourne Park community. The ground-breaking Action Audio also returned to AO Radio, making the broadcast accessible to the blind and low-vision people. The technological advancement by Tennis Australia's innovation team and Monash University makes Rod Laver Arena actions easier to observe.
“I think it’s fantastic that the Australian Open and Tennis Australia champion the sport for people with disabilities in such a big way and continue to expand their initiatives that make it possible for everyone to play,” former world no.1 Quad Wheelchair Player and 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott said.
On January 25, the tournament held the fourth edition of AO Pride Day which, in addition to All Abilities Day, reflects Tennis Australia’s commitment to showcasing tennis as an inclusive sport that welcomes everyone.