Wheelchair tennis equipment.

The chair is part of the body

The Rules of Wheelchair Tennis, a section of the ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, follow the ordinary Rules of Tennis with stated exceptions. The key one for equipment is rule (b): the wheelchair is considered part of the body, so every rule that applies to a player's body applies to the chair as well. The same section lets the ball bounce twice, with the second bounce in or out of the court (rule (a)), and requires the server to be stationary, with one push allowed before striking the ball (rules (b) and (c)).

What the chair may and may not have (rule (e))

Using a foot (rule (f))

A player who cannot propel the chair by the wheel may use one foot. No part of that foot may touch the ground during the forward swing of the racket, or from the start of the service motion until the racket strikes the ball.

Rackets and balls

No separate racket rule for wheelchair tennis was recorded: the racket rules are the ordinary Rule 4 and Appendix II, covered on tennis rackets and the rules. On balls, Appendix I says the Stage 1 (Green) ball may not be used on the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour, along with other top-level events; the ball rules are on tennis balls and approval.

Classification

The LTA's classification page describes two wheelchair tennis sport classes. Open players have a permanent impairment causing substantial loss of function in one or both legs, and men and women play separately. Quad players have impairments affecting their legs and their arms or hands, and men and women play together. The LTA says international eligibility needs a health condition in one of seven eligible impairment groups, that World Tennis runs classification, and that classification is required for the World Tennis Wheelchair Tennis Tour; juniors (18 and under) need it only to play senior events. Paralympic history and the para versions of the other sports are on wheelchair and para play.

Other sports' chair rules, for comparison

Each sport sets its own chair rules; they are not interchangeable with the tennis rules above.

Pickleball (2026 USA Pickleball Rulebook, Section 25)

The 2026 Change Document says wheelchair rules previously spread through the rulebook were gathered into Section 25 (Wheelchair, Adaptive Standing and Hybrid Doubles Play). The chair is part of the body, and its large rear wheels are treated like a standing player's legs for positioning (25.A.4). Any person who plays in a wheelchair, with or without a disability, is an eligible wheelchair player. A player unable to propel a manual chair for a whole match may use an electric power wheelchair controlled only by the player and not exceeding 10 mph (25.A.3). At least one buttock must be in contact with the seat when striking the ball (25.A.5).

Badminton (BWF Laws and USA Badminton)

Law 5 of the BWF Laws of Badminton (version 2.1 of 29 May 2023) says a wheelchair or a crutch may be used in para badminton. USA Badminton's para equipment page summarises the BWF para rules further: players may be strapped at the waist, the thighs or both, feet must be fixed to the footrest, part of the trunk and the legs must touch the seat when striking, the seat may be level or angled backward but not forward, a rear supporting wheel may extend beyond the main wheels, and no electric or other device may assist movement or steering. That summary was not checked against the BWF text, which could not be opened, so it is unconfirmed.