The Wheelchair Tennis World Championships are coming to Oss

There will be a total of five hard courts within the Rusheuvelstraat complex, with one court serving as center court. Six tournaments are played there: singles and doubles per gender and for quadruples. Participants first play a group round, followed by a knockout stage.

The last edition of the Masters, as the tournament is called, was held in the United States last year. “From Orlando to Oss, is there only one small step? says Alderman Kees van Geffen proudly. He indicates that Oss wants to be an inclusive and sporty city. “So we are very proud to have managed to bring this event to Oss.”

Players who participate in the NEC Wheelchair Singles Tennis Masters and Wheelchair Doubles Masters depend on their position in the world rankings prior to the tournament. The top eight players in each category are allowed to participate.

First country of the Netherlands
The Netherlands is the world’s top wheelchair tennis player. At the last Paralympic Games, the Netherlands won at least one medal in all categories. Three times there was gold. The men have an event during the ABN Amro WTT in Rotterdam, but the ladies do not. The tennis association KNLTB likes that women can now present themselves to the Dutch public as well.

“A unique opportunity for the public to see top players Diede de Groot and Aniek van Koot in action,” said general manager Erik Poel. In 2021, De Groot has won just about everything there is to win for women: four Grand Slams, two Paralympic Games gold medals and the World Cup to conclude. She therefore defends her title at Oss.

Scheffers Tournament Director
Bossche player Maikel Scheffers is the tournament director. The wheelchair tennis player won bronze at the Paralympic Games in 2021 with his doubles partner Tom Egberink and has been around the world for a long time. He won the singles at the Amsterdam Masters in 2009. The last time the World Singles Championships were held in the Netherlands was a year later, also in the capital. In 2017 and 2018, the Gelderse Bemmel organized the World Cup in doubles.

Tennis clinics and legends
The Osse Team TOC company with contacts in Paralympic sport is the organizer of the tournament. “We would love to partner with the parties of Osse to make this event a success,” says organizer Eric Kersten. He is thinking of clinics and opportunities for local tennis clubs to profit from the tournament. “And of course we will ensure that in addition to today’s best athletes who will soon be on the Oss track, we will bring one or more tennis legends to Oss.”