The Adaptive Athlete - Part 3: A New Millennium and Grand Slam Integration

David Wagner (USA) has led the quad division, with 28 major titles and 3 Paralympic gold medals since turning pro in 2001. Australia’s best female player in history, Daniela Di Toro won 9 Australian Open titles, 2 US Open titles, and 2 World Singles Championships between 1988 and 2005. Robin Ammerlaan (NED) competed from 1998 to 2012 and was a force to be reckoned with in both singles and doubles. He reached world No. 1 in both, won 14 major titles, and earned two Paralympic gold medals.

With his unmatched determination and perseverance, David Hall became the top wheelchair tennis player on the tour. While training in Boulder, Colorado, he routinely pushed his chair to sessions in snowy, freezing conditions. In 1995, Hall’s tenacity led him to become the first non-American to win the US Open Wheelchair Championships, an event he ultimately won eight times. He won 33 major titles in total, including nine Australian Opens between 1995 and 2005.

David Hall often listened to the American thrash metal band Slayer as part of his pre-match ritual. Hall recalls, “When the US Open was played in Irvine, CA, I would push from the hotel to the courts through suburbia. My favorite was always Slayer; even though their music was fast and heavy, in a weird way, it calmed me.” These cassette tapes David Hall played on his Walkman are now part of the ITHF Museum’s collection and delight visitors who may—or may not be—familiar with this type of media.

In his autobiography, Superbeast, David Hall recalls the significance of his gold medal win, writing,"It's taken so much to get here: the aftermath of the accident; the doubt, fear and tough transition back into society; the rediscovery of tennis... pushing in the snow; the crushing losses and thrilling wins. They've all led to this moment."