By Nick Butler

David Wagner, one of the biggest names in wheelchair tennis, helped local children train at his home club ©Getty ImagesAspiring wheelchair tennis players in the United States enjoyed a golden opportunity to hone their skills last weekend after world number one David Wagner joined in an exhibition clinic at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Centre in the town of Beaverton in Oregon, the location in which he first took up the sport. 


The clinic, which is part of the aim to increase the profile of Paralympic disciplines such as tennis across the US, was aimed at boosting participation levels by encouraging whole families to participate.

Wagner, 40, who took up the sport after attending a similar training camp at the Tualatin Hills four years after being paralysed from the waist down in an accident, took to the court and played alongside many young players.

Afterwards, the London 2012 Paralympic champion emphasised his love of the sport as well as his hope that others can follow his path. 

"I came down, checked it out and fell in love with the sport," he told KGW-TV.

"I couldn't get enough, and just absolutely loved wheelchair tennis."

"It's just a way to open people's eyes and to let them know they can do things and good things can come from that every time."

World number one David Wagner (right) won the quad singles title at the Australian Open in Melbourne earlier this year ©Getty ImagesWorld number one David Wagner (right) won the quad singles title at the Australian Open in Melbourne earlier this year ©Getty Images





Just three years after taking up the sport, Wagner became the top US player, and two years later he won a first Paralympic gold medal in the mixed doubles category at Athens 2004.

After defending that title at Beijing 2008 he won the quad doubles at London 2012, along with a quad singles silver medal.

But since those Games, Wagner has dominated the singles category, winning the Australian Open Wheelchair Championships in January as well as the South African Open last month. 

Wagner, who is based in California, did not compete at the French Open in Roland Garros earlier this month because there was no event for quad players, but will now compete in Europe for most of the summer before focusing on the US Open on home soil in August.

His ultimate target, however, is securing a first Paralympic singles gold medal in Rio in two years' time.