Wagner to debut at French Open

The 2019 French Open marks a special event for wheelchair tennis. This year, for the first time in the history of the tournament, a quad singles and doubles competition will be featured in the Paris fortnight, with a draw that includes the top four ranked quad wheelchair tennis players in the world. 

Representing the U.S. in the inaugural quad competition will be six-time Grand Slam quad singles champion and Paralympian, David Wagner. 

“AWESOME news today. I’m so excited, thankful, and grateful,” wrote Wagner (pictured above) on Twitter after the announcement was made in February. 

This news comes after the announcement by the All England Club in November that Wimbledon will also be hosting quad events for 2019 and onwards.

In 2002, the Australian Open became the first Slam to have a Wheelchair Tennis Tour event running alongside it. In 2005, Wimbledon and the US Open followed suit, each hosting a wheelchair component. In 2007, Roland Garros was the final Slam to add the wheelchair competition to its schedule, but it took until Wimbledon in 2016 to feature the Quad division. 

The addition of the quad events in Paris and London now complete the Grand Slam calendar for the quad wheelchair division, and are part of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour and will offer UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis rankings points to participants. 

To be eligible to compete in the Quad division, players must have a permanent physical disability that results in substantial loss of function in three or more extremities and that fulfils the sport’s Minimum Impairment Criteria.

"When Roland Garros fully integrated wheelchair tennis into their program in 2007, it was the closing of a circle.  All four Grand Slams were now completely engaged in the wheelchair tennis world.  Well almost," said USTA’s National Manager and Head Coach for Team USA’s Wheelchair Tennis Team, Jason Harnett.

"The Quad division was the last of the divisions to be included in the Grand Slams.  The French Open, along with Wimbledon later this summer, will now include this worthy division into their families.  Congratulations to all of the Quad competitors making history in Paris and representing the division and all of those who came before."

The quad action kicks off in Paris on Thursday.