Para-standing tennis stars on hopes to 'grow sport'

For years, Ross Cudmore and Matt Grover watched the likes of British tennis players Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid win medals at the Paralympics and Grand Slams all over the world in wheelchair events.

Cudmore, 27, from Hastings, and Grover, 31, who lives in Horsham, both competed at club and county level tennis, but neither wanted to compete in a wheelchair.

They both have disabilities - Cudmore has Erbs Palsy, a condition of arm weakness and paralysis, while Grover has Cerebral Palsy.

Cudmore said: "We'd played able-bodied tennis all our life. I watched the Paralympics and was aware of it, but had never competed in disability sport."

Cudmore had been playing county tennis in Hastings and met his soon-to-be doubles partner, Grover, at a tennis festival.

Just eight months later, in June 2024, they became World Doubles Champions in para-standing tennis, a sport they did not even know existed eight months previously.

The sport is for tennis players with physical impairments who want to play without the use of a wheelchair.

It's been a fast rise for Grover and Cudmore, who had never met despite playing in the same county, prior to their success.

"We've travelled the world together, been to the US Open, it's been way out of our expectations," Grover said.

Cudmore recalled arriving at the tournament for their first World Championships.

He said: "We turned up and said we really like doubles, it was quite surreal, it just worked.

"We just clicked as a partnership, playing at club level, quite a lot of it is doubles.

"Our friendship has really helped us elevate our game."

Para-standing tennis is supported by the International Tennis Federation, with more than 400 recognised players now competing in the sport.

There is hope from many players that they can mount a bid to be part of future Paralympics events.

Grover, who is also the current para-standing tennis World Singles Champion, said: "When you look at other variations of sport, like table tennis and badminton, they have a standing and wheelchair class at major events."

He added: "We want the standing class to be part of grand slams and the Paralympics in the future."

The pair have had first hand experience of interest from spectators at major events.

Grover said: "I played on court next to Daniel Medvedev, there were huge crowds watching us that day.

"There are fans that are engaged, it's just trying to grow that."

Ross Cudmore and Matt Grover were speaking to Robin Grey about 'Champions of the Unseen' a new documentary about para-standing tennis on Aliko Sports on YouTube.

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