E117: The Evolution of Wheelchair Tennis - From Day Chairs to Wimbledon Champions

In this episodeof the Experts in Sport podcast, host Martin Foster is joined by former British No.1 and Wimbledon champion Jayant Mistry, Professor Vicky Tolfrey, and Dr Thomas Rietveld to explore how athlete experience, research and technology have driven the sport's evolution. From custom-built chairs and performance science to Wimbledon and the future of the game, discover how innovation continues to shape wheelchair tennis.

01:00 Wimbledon reflections and how the sport has evolved

05:00 Jayant Mistry's journey from local courts to Wimbledon champion

08:50 Vicky Tolfrey's introduction to parasport research

13:45 How Thomas Reitveld became a wheelchair tennis researcher

16:45 The evolution of wheelchair tennis chairs

21:00 Science meets sport: Optimising wheelchair performance

27:20 Customised chairs, technology and performance gains

32:20 Turning athlete ideas into research questions

36:40 Court surfaces, Wimbledon grass and equipment regulations

38:30 Accessibility, participation and getting started in wheelchair tennis

44:20 Emerging research: surfaces, sensors and performance analysis

46:20 Classification debates and inclusivity in wheelchair tennis

53:50 The future of wheelchair tennis over the next decade