A two day tournament for visually impaired tennis players was held prior to the summer in Newcastle. Four players from the Glasgow VI Tennis Club attended the event, Graeme Roach from Dumbarton, Andrea Logan from Motherwell, Laura Grant from Irvine and Frances Maguire from High Blantyre.
Frances is a B1 player. B1 players are severely visually impaired and they must wear a blindfold during play. VI tennis balls ring when they bounce, B1 players are allowed up to three bounces before returning it.
Frances played well in the heats, but unfortunately didn’t make it to the final.
My friend Robert Stewart told me, “The B1 final was fantastic game to watch with each point being fought over with rallies of up to nine shots. When watching such a game, you sometimes forget that the players can see nothing at all.”
Frances and her team mates were back in action at a one day tournament at the end of June at Newlands Tennis Club, Glasgow against teams from Newcastle and York.
Frances is often out and about in High Blantyre with Yarra her beautiful labradoodle guide dog.
With thanks to Robert for this story.
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