Empowering Dreams, Enabling Champions: Deuce Tennis Centre Opens in Chikkaballapura
Bengaluru, April 2025 – India’s first-ever dedicated Wheelchair Tennis Excellence Centre has officially opened near the Bengaluru International Airport in Sidhalghatta, Chikkaballapura. Conceptualized by CA Sunil Jain, founder of NGO Astha and Chairman of the Indian Wheelchair Tennis Tour (IWTT), the Deuce Tennis Centre (DTC) is set to transform the landscape of wheelchair tennis in the country.
Spread across 1.3 acres, the centre features four ITF-standard hard courts, a multi-purpose space for training and lectures, and plans for a hostel in the second phase by March 2026. This facility marks a milestone in India’s journey towards building an inclusive sports ecosystem that supports athletes with disabilities.
The project, costing ₹1.5 crore in its first phase, has been funded by leading corporates such as L&T Technology Services, Sansera Foundation, PlaySimple, Trellborg, DollarSocket, Evora IT Solutions, and individual donors under the “BrickByBrick” campaign. Notably, Swiss Paralympian Nalani Buob, whose roots trace back to India, also contributed ₹10 lakh to the initiative.
The DTC aims to offer high-quality training, coaching certifications, leadership programs for academies, therapy for children with developmental delays, and research in the field of wheelchair tennis.
The launch will be marked with a 5-day residential training program from April 13–17, led by Marc Kalkman, renowned ITF expert and coach to Paralympic champions. Forty players and coaches from across India will take part, with the coaching program certified by the International Coaches Association.
“DTC is not just a training facility, it’s a movement to build a democratic tennis culture and change what’s possible for people with disabilities,” said Sunil Jain.
Prominent supporters such as Somdev Devvarman, Basavaraj (Ex Disability Commissioner), and Marc Kalkman have lauded this landmark initiative as a game-changer for Indian wheelchair tennis. Nalani Buob shared her personal story, calling tennis “a door to life,” and expressed her hope for Indian kids with disabilities to find the same empowerment through the sport.
Backed by the Indian Wheelchair Tennis Tour (IWTT), which was established in 2016 under Astha, this facility is a significant step toward the goal of putting India on the global wheelchair tennis map by 2028.