Around 60 athletes have travelled from 13 countries to compete in the World Blind Tennis Championships which are taking place in Ireland for the first time.
The competition is being held at Shankill Tennis club in South County Dublin from today until Monday.
The athletes are ranked in three different categories depending on their level of vision impairment; B1, B2 and B3.
The athletes can locate the ball by a bell which is inside, it's allowed bounce up to three times on the special court, which is slightly smaller than a regular one.
The Blind Tennis World Championships are underway at Shankill Tennis club! The first time being held in Ireland. Players can locate the ball by a bell inside it 🎾 pic.twitter.com/51GRpuJB5I
— Kim Buckley (@KiiimBuckley) April 27, 2018
President of Leinster Tennis Liam O'Donoghue brought Blind Tennis to Ireland three years ago, he says rather than hand-eye coordination, blind tennis is all about hand-ear coordination: 'the players rely on sound and when the ball bounces, they know where it is, the huge skill is in them figuring out where the ball will finish bouncing'.
Ireland’s leading blind tennis player Willem ‘Wally’ Roode won his match this morning at the world championships! This is the special ball that’s used which has a bell inside. Hear him on @TodayFMNews at 12 pic.twitter.com/5sp2dLyyuK
— Kim Buckley (@KiiimBuckley) April 27, 2018
Guide dogs Alfie, Clipper and Hattie cheering on their owners at the World Blind Tennis Championships ðŸ˜ðŸ¶ pic.twitter.com/vuWuYtfrz8
— Kim Buckley (@KiiimBuckley) April 27, 2018
