About
Blind & Low Vision Tennis is an adapted form of the sport designed so people who are blind or have low vision can play, compete and enjoy tennis. It follows the same basic principles as traditional tennis, but with thoughtful modifications that help players track the ball and move around the court safely and confidently. Players use a specially designed audible ball that makes sound as it moves or bounces, tactile or high-contrast court lines, and modified racquets and court sizes to suit different levels of vision. The game is organised into classifications (B1 to B4) based on visual ability, with each class having rules that allow extra bounces and other adaptations to make play fair and fun.
Blind and Low Vision Tennis Eligibility
| Classification | Eligibility criteria |
| B1 | Visual acuity poorer than LogMAR 2.60 |
| B2 | Visual acuity ranging from LogMAR 1.50 to 2.60 (inclusive) |
| B3 | Visual acuity ranging from LogMAR 1.0 to 1.40 (inclusive) OR visual fields less than 10 degrees diameter and visual acuity better than 0.5 (B4) |
| B4 | Visual acuity ranging from LogMAR 0.5 to 0.9 (inclusive) OR visual fields less than 40 degrees diameter and visual acuity better than 0.5. |
(Source: International Blind Tennis Association)
Rules & Equipment
Ball: Use either a black or fluorescent yellow ball for maximum contrast. Balls are designed to make a noise as they move and bounce.
Court: BLV Tennis can be played on either a badminton court or standard tennis court using a junior tennis racket.
Rules: Standard tennis rules apply, with modifications for visual impairment: totally blind players may have up to three bounces, and partially sighted players may have up to two. Singles and doubles are both supported.
Get In Touch
For more information, contact [email protected].
NSW