British wheelchair tennis pioneers honoured in World Tennis Wheelchair Hall of Champions at the Lexus Eastbourne Open | ITF
Article 26 Jun 2026

British wheelchair greats honoured in World Tennis Hall of Champions

26 Jun 2026

World Tennis, which this week launched as the new identity of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), has honoured a distinguished group of British wheelchair tennis individuals and contributors for induction into the World Tennis Wheelchair Hall of Champions.

The inductees were recognised during a special ceremony on Centre Court at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, with David Rawlinson, former LTA President and World Tennis Board member, and Cain Berry, Executive Director of World Tennis Wheelchair, presenting the awards.

Launched as part of the celebrations marking 50 years of wheelchair tennis in 2026, the World Tennis Wheelchair Hall of Champions is a digital platform recognising the individuals and organisations whose contributions have helped drive the sport's growth and success around the world.

British Inductees - Contributors                          

  • Mark Bullock - An LTA Level 4 Accredited Coach with more than 30 years of experience in disability sport, Bullock has played a significant role in the development of wheelchair tennis in Great Britain. His contributions have been recognised through honours including the UNIQLO Spirit Award and the Brad Parks Award. He is also a key member of the LTA’s Disability Advisory Group.

  • Martin McElhatton OBE - A pioneer of wheelchair tennis in Great Britain, McElhatton has dedicated more than four decades to wheelchair sport through leadership and voluntary roles at local, national and international level, including as Chief Executive of WheelPower. Martin was among the early pioneers of wheelchair tennis in Great Britain in the 1980s and 1990s and was the longest-serving president of the former International Wheelchair Tennis Association before receiving the Brad Parks Award in 2013.

  • Sue Wolstenholme OBE - Former Executive Director of The Tennis Foundation and Director of the LTA Trust when the Disability Tennis Programme was established and became a key focus of the Foundation’s work. A former LTA Board Member and Vice-President, she also served on the Board of the British Paralympic Association. Sue is currently Chair of the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, a trustee of WheelPower, and received the Brad Parks Award in 2005.

  • Stuart Wilkinson – A level 4 LTA Accredited Coach and former national coach for wheelchair tennis with over 20 years coaching experience. Stuart has coached some of Britain's most successful wheelchair tennis players and was named Wheelchair Tennis Coach of the Year in 2016 in recognition of his contributions to the sport.

  • Geraint Richards - Former Performance Director of the Great Britain Wheelchair Tennis Programme, who oversaw one of the most successful periods in British wheelchair tennis history, including Great Britain's six-medal haul at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

  • The LTA - The Lawn Tennis Association has been a driving force behind the growth of wheelchair tennis in Britain since the sport’s early years, helping create opportunities and pathways for generations of players. In recognition of its outstanding contribution to the sport, it received the Brad Parks Award, wheelchair tennis’ highest honour, in 2000.

British Inductees - Players

  • Jordanne Whiley MBE - A 13-time Grand Slam champion and Paralympic medallist, who became the first British tennis player to complete a Calendar Grand Slam when she won all four women's doubles major titles in 2014. Jordanne has also won four Paralympic medals across three Games.

  • Peter Norfolk OBE - One of the most influential players in the history of quad wheelchair tennis, Peter won the first two Paralympic quad singles gold medals in 2004 and 2008 and played a pivotal role in raising the profile of the quad division on the sport’s biggest stages. During his career, he captured 49 quad singles titles and 19 quad doubles titles on the Wheelchair Tennis Tour, including 22 major singles crowns at Super Series and Grand Slam events.

Founded by Brad Parks in 1976, wheelchair tennis is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. World Tennis has played a central role in the sport's development and became the first international sports federation to fully integrate wheelchair tennis into its governance structure in 1998.

Today, wheelchair tennis is played in more than 100 countries worldwide, with the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour featuring more than 160 tournaments across over 40 nations.

The full list of the World Tennis Wheelchair Hall of Champions inductees can be viewed here.