Nick always has a new project up his sleeve, and this summer he has spent time at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon. Whilst he managed to enjoy some fantastic matches there was also work to do.
Wheelchair tennis debuted at Wimbledon back in 2005 and year on year has built on its success, with this summers tournament taking place on No. 1 Court. Matches were well received by the spectators and television viewers who would not have otherwise been exposed to this version of the sport.
Wheelchair tennis is played on different court surfaces (hardcourt, clay, grass) across many Grand Slam Tournaments. Despite wheelchair tennis play being unique for each surface, the wheelchair set-up remains unchanged for the surface competed on.
Professor Nick Webborn attended AELTC alongside fellow researchers from Loughborough University and in partnership with the LTA, to conduct a study with leading wheelchair manufacturers (RGK Wheelchairs), exploring the best wheelchair set-up for grass surface to improve wheelchair mobility performance.
Nick says: "This research is an exceptional example of how different organisations can come together to work for a common purpose. The project is a great example of research in practice that will be impactful for individual athletes and for the greater good of wheelchair tennis."
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