Tennis Australia’s Wheelchair Tennis team has been named winner of the 2025 UNIQLO Spirit Award, with two-time Grand Slam champion and Rio 2016 Paralympic men’s singles bronze medallist Joachim Gerard named as runner-up in the wake of playing his last UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour events in 2025.

Launched in 2017 by the ITF and UNIQLO, the award was created to honour an individual or organisation who embodies the principles and core values of UNIQLO, who embraces challenge in pursuit of the promotion of wheelchair tennis and is admired for their integrity and character.

Tennis Australia’s infrastructure of wheelchair tennis coaches and support network were recognised by UNIQLO as having been a driving force in transforming wheelchair tennis, both nationally and on the world stage, for more than 35 years.

While building a complete player pathway - from grassroots talent identification through to international representation - they also led the integration of wheelchair tennis into the Australian Open, with the Australian Open becoming the first Grand Slam to take this step (in 2002).

The impact of the Tennis Australia Wheelchair Tennis team culture also extends far beyond success on the court. Dedicated coach development programmes have cultivated a new generation of wheelchair tennis coaches across Australia. Meanwhile, the creation of a comprehensive junior talent development programme - including Wheelchair Tennis Hubs around the country, numerous national camps and come and try opportunities - has seen the number of junior players in Australia boom.

Weekly community outreaches to children's hospitals and spinal rehabilitation units continue to change lives and open doors for countless players and families, and Australia currently boasts more ranked junior boys than any nation. Beyond this is the successful transition of talented juniors onto the senior UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, including numerous senior titles and Grand Slam representation for the likes of Jin Woodman and Ben Wenzel.

Among those coaches behind such success, Francois Vogelsberger and Greg Crump have both been named ITF Wheelchair Tennis Coach of the Year since 2020, with Crump also named winner of the ITF’s Brad Parks Award in 2018.

The Crumpy Cup (named after Crump) exemplifies how the Tennis Australia Wheelchair Tennis team elevate the sport as well as the development of, and opportunities for players.

Originally launched as a national initiative three years ago, the Crumpy Cup features senior and junior players competing side-by-side, fostering mentorship while expanding competitive opportunities for emerging talent, and integrates male and female players on the same teams. The competition now attracts over 30 players annually and has grown into an international event, welcoming New Zealand players more recently, with Japan expected to join in 2026.

Tennis Australia’s Junior Development Series also continues to identify and retain players of 14 and Under in the Tennis Australia Wheelchair Tennis Programme and has directly supported Australian players who have amassed 27 Grand Slam titles, four Paralympic medals and six World Team Cup titles since 2000.

Reflecting on news of the 2025 UNIQLO Spirit Award, Tim Jolley, Chief of Performance and Strategy at Tennis Australia, said:

“Our Wheelchair Tennis team have, and continue to be, trailblazers in the sport both in Australia and on the world stage. We are extremely proud of the positive impact the team have had on the lives of countless players over 35 years. On behalf of Tennis Australia, we are honoured that our Wheelchair Tennis team have been recognised by the ITF and Uniqlo for their enormous contribution to the development and growth of wheelchair tennis.”

In being named runner-up for the 2025 UNIQLO Spirit Award, Joachim Gerard was recognised by UNIQLO for his passion for wheelchair tennis throughout an outstanding career that’s lasted for almost 20 years.

A former junior world No. 1 and Junior Masters champion, Gerard also topped the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour men’s singles rankings in early December 2016, having won Belgium’s first Paralympic medal when winning bronze in the men’s singles in Rio earlier that season,

He won six Grand Slam titles, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon men’s singles titles in 2021, with his four Grand Slam doubles titles coming at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon between 2014 and 2019.

Gerard also built an outstanding Singles Masters record between 2015 and 2019, winning the year-end championships four times in the space of five years.

Gerard had a heart attack during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, returning to something like his best form in the 2022 season, exemplifying his determination and passion for his sport and displaying the qualities for which he was well-respected by his peers. Gerard was a gentleman on and outside the court.

A 15-time Belgian champion, he played his last UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour event in Ile de Re in September 2025, ending his tournament career with a combined 48 singles titles and 65 doubles titles.