Last Updated on 07/09/2024 by Crip Life
Rising wheelchair tennis star Dahnon Ward has already made a name for himself on the global stage with a string of impressive achievements. Now he will be making his debut in ParalympicsGB’s wheelchair tennis team, turning 19 two days before the start of the Paris 2024 wheelchair tennis event.
As part of our ParalympicsGB debutants interview series, our editor, Emma Purcell, speaks to Dahnon Ward about living with a rare condition, becoming a wheelchair tennis player, his sporting success so far and what he is most looking forward to at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Born in Thailand before moving to the UK during early childhood, Dahnon started playing wheelchair tennis in November 2015 and enjoyed a distinguished junior career, which included winning a series of silver medals as part of Great Britain’s junior World Team Cup Team.
One of those silver medals came in 2019 and the following year, he was recognised for his achievements on the court and the example he set off the court when he was named as the inaugural winner of the ITF Junior Wheelchair Tennis Player of the Year Award.
He made his senior international team debut alongside Ben Bartram at the 2022 World Team Cup European Qualification Tournament shortly after the pair had combined to win the boys’ doubles title at the Wheelchair Tennis Junior Masters.
Towards the end of the 2022 season, Dahnon again combined with Ben to win the boys’ doubles title at the inaugural US Open Junior Wheelchair Tennis Championships in New York, where he finished runner-up to Ben in the boy’s singles.
Dahnon returned to the US Open Junior Championships in 2023 to lift the boys’ singles title and retain the boys’ doubles title shortly after winning the biggest senior title of his career to date at the Sion Open in Switzerland.
Dahnon became a senior world champion for the first time this year after joining Alfie Hewett, Gordon Reid and Ben Bartram in the victorious Great Britain men’s team at the World Team Cup in Turkey.
Dahnon is one of six wheelchair tennis Paralympians heading to Paris. He will be joining newly crowned Wimbledon men’s singles champion and three-time Paralympic silver medallist Alfie Hewett, Wimbledon doubles champion and Rio 2016 men’s singles gold medallist Gordon Reid, experienced Paralympians and multiple medallists Lucy Shuker and Andy Lapthorne and fellow debutant Ben Bartram. There was also a late selection for Gregory Slade.
Read on to find out more about Dahnon Ward in his own words and scroll down to see his Paris 2024 results.
Dahnon Ward on living with his disability
Can you tell us about your condition Category D proximal femoral focal deficiency and how it affects you on a daily basis?
I was born with a short femur, and I always tried to face challenges head-on. Obviously, it’s a little harder to walk, but I don’t really notice it too much and I try to not let it get in the way of my everyday life.
Dahnon Ward on becoming a wheelchair tennis player
How did you get into wheelchair tennis and what do you love about the sport?
My dad was looking for some sports for me to get into after having a series of operations, which meant I could no longer play football. He found wheelchair tennis and since playing my first tournament I always loved the competitive side of it. I love playing singles because it’s just me versus you. I love the competitive nature of the sport.
What has been the highlight of your wheelchair tennis career so far?
Winning the singles and the doubles at the 2023 junior wheelchair US Open.
Dahnon Ward on preparing for Paris 2024
How does it feel to be selected for your first Paralympic Games and how have your preparations been going for Paris 2024?
I’m ecstatic, I just can’t wait to get out on the court. Preparations have been a tough few weeks but it will be worthwhile in the long run.
What are you looking forward to the most at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, as well as aiming to secure a medal?
I’m looking forward to seeing the other sports, the venue, the opening ceremony but most of all, the opportunity to compete alongside some great athletes in the biggest event the sport has to offer is something that I’m very grateful for.
You can find out more about Dahnon Ward by following him on Instagram.
Paris 2024 Paralympics: Wheelchair tennis results
Dahnon Ward began his Paralympic campaign in the Men’s Singles first round, beating Said Himam from Morocco 6-3, 7-6. Speaking about the match, Dahnon said:
“It was a really up and down match because you had to come in and come out again and we didn’t know whether we were going to go back on court today. I came out after being 3-2 down, got settled with four games in a row and then I started thinking about everything and it got a bit tight and then it went really close in the second. I think I was 5-3 down so I did well to come back and saved a few set points and a really close tie-break as well. It was a nice way to finish it but pretty nerve racking as well.”
He added: “It was a lot of relief. It was never going to be easy winning your first Paralympics match but I got it done and I’m really pleased.”
The next day, Dahnon Ward and Ben Bartram beat Lhaj Boukartacha and Said Himam of Morocco in the Men’s Doubles first round 6-3, 3-6, (10-5). Sadly the pair lost in the second round to Netherlands’ Tom Egberink and Maikel Scheffers, 6-2, 7-5.
Dahnon was also knocked out in the second round of the Men’s Singles, beaten by the Frenchman Stephane Houdet.
Reviewing his first Paralympic experience, Dahnon said: “I’m going to take a lot of inspiration from these Games. Playing in front of so many people earlier today and getting to experience these occasions is so special. I have a real taste of what it’s all about and why we play the sport.”
The other ParalympicGB wheelchair tennis medal results are:
- Alfie Hewett – Men’s Singles – Silver
- Gordon Reid & Alfie Hewett – Men’s Doubles – Gold
- Andy Lapthorne & Gregory Slade – Mixed Quad Doubles – Silver
Be sure to catch up on Dahnon Ward’s matches and the rest of the ParalympicsGB wheelchair tennis squad at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Channel 4.
What is wheelchair tennis?
Wheelchair tennis at the Paralympic Games follows Olympic tennis rules, with a few important differences. The most significant difference is the ‘two-bounce rule’, which means a player can allow the ball to bounce twice and must return it before a third bounce. The second bounce can be inside or outside the court boundaries.
At the serve, the server must be in a stationary position before serving the ball, but is allowed one push of the wheelchair before striking the ball.
Matches are the best of three sets, with a tie-break settling each set as required.
The wheelchair tennis competition consists of six medal events: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, quad singles and quad doubles.
Each nation may enter a maximum of four men into men’s singles, four women into women’s singles and a maximum of three quad players in the quad singles. A maximum of four men and four women may compete as teams in men’s and women’s doubles and a maximum of two players may compete as a team in the quad doubles.