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Today's Google Doodle features wheelchair tennis at the Paralympics, with charming artwork of two birds playing the sport in a picturesque Parisian garden.
Google Doodle Celebrates Wheelchair Tennis at the 2024 Paris Paralympics
As the 2024 Paris Paralympics captivate sports fans around the globe, Google marked the occasion on Tuesday with a delightful doodle celebrating wheelchair tennis. The artwork features animated birds playing the sport in wheelchairs set against the elegant backdrop of a Parisian garden, either Jardin du Palais Royal or Jardin des Tuileries.
The doodle highlights the excitement with the message: “Ace attitudes and stellar serves. Wheelchair Tennis starts today at Stade Roland-Garros!”
Wheelchair tennis at the 2024 Summer Paralympics kicked off on August 30 and will run through September 7 at the renowned Roland Garros Stadium, known for its clay courts. The tournament will showcase singles and doubles matches across the men’s, women’s, and quads categories.
On Sunday, Alfie Hewett (Great Britain), Martin De La Puente (Spain), Todiko Oda (Japan), and Gustavo Fernandez (Argentina) advanced to the Round of 16, each through matches of varying styles and challenges.
Introduced at the Barcelona Paralympic Games in 1992, wheelchair tennis is now featured at all four Grand Slam tournaments. The International Tennis Federation Wheelchair Tennis Tour boasts over 150 events, as noted on their official website.
The sport classifies athletes into two categories:
The open class is for athletes with permanent impairment of one or both legs but with normal arm function. The quad class is for athletes who have additional limitations in their playing arm, affecting their ability to handle the racquet and manage the wheelchair.