The history of wheelchair tennis and the Swiss Open Geneva
The Dawn of a Discipline
Birth of wheelchair tennis
Brad Parks first conceived of the idea of playing tennis in a wheelchair. This idea marked the birth of wheelchair tennis and laid the foundations for a sport that would quickly develop internationally.
A pioneering competition in Switzerland
Tournament creation
On the initiative of Handisport Geneva, the First Swiss International Wheelchair Tennis Open was created in 1988. The tournament quickly became a major event for wheelchair tennis and played a key role in the development of the discipline in Switzerland.
A historic milestone for the discipline
Integration of wheelchair tennis by the ITF
The ITF becomes the first international federation to fully integrate wheelchair tennis into its governance. This institutional recognition strengthens the professionalization of the circuit and tournaments such as the Swiss Open Geneva.
A lasting presence in Geneva
More than 30 years at Bois-des-Frères
For three decades, the Swiss Open Geneva has been held at the Bois-des-Frères Sports Centre. The tournament consolidates its identity: sporting excellence, closeness to athletes, and accessibility for the public.
Drizia-Miremont Tennis Club
New website, new dynamic
The tournament is moving to the Drizia-Miremont Tennis Club and changing surfaces, from hard court to clay. This change opens a new phase of development and allows for a rethinking of the athlete and public experience.
A mature tournament
Professionalization and innovation
The Swiss Open Geneva strengthens its foundations: improved hospitality, enhanced media coverage, year-round awareness campaigns, logistical and environmental innovations.
Strong sporting recognition
The tournament is becoming a WT 500
Following changes to ITF regulations and the restructuring of the international circuit, the Swiss Open Geneva is moving from the ITF1 category to WT500 status.
This transition is part of a new tournament hierarchy, placing WT500 events among the major events of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour.
A symbolic anniversary
40 editions of the Swiss Open Geneva
The Swiss Open Geneva will celebrate its 40th edition in 2027, marking four decades of commitment to sport, inclusion, and performance. This edition is conceived as a highlight for the tournament.
From committed beginnings to international recognition
Held for over 30 years at the Bois-des-Frères Sports Center, the tournament quickly attracted some of the world's top-ranked male and female players. This sporting ambition, combined with a strong human dimension, has enabled the Swiss Open Geneva to establish itself permanently on the international wheelchair tennis calendar.
The tournament has evolved with the discipline while remaining true to its original spirit: proximity to athletes, accessibility for the public, and commitment to inclusion.
Since 2021, the Swiss Open Geneva has been held at the Drizia-Miremont Tennis Club. This change of venue, marked notably by the transition from hard court to clay, has allowed for a rethinking of the tournament's organization and further improved the reception conditions, both for athletes and the public.
Today, the Swiss Open Geneva is recognized on the international circuit as a benchmark tournament. As its 40th anniversary approaches, the event continues to develop with a clear vision: to offer high-level tennis, accessible to everyone, and to continue to change perceptions of disability through sport.