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Sportable Partners with VCU Health to Host River City Slam

RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, June 1, 2022) – Sportable, Central Virginia’s premier adaptive sports club, is proud to host the River City Slam Wheelchair Tennis Tournament June 10-12, 2022. VCU Health has been named Presenting Sponsor of the second annual event that will host players from across the country at Collegiate School’s state-of-the-art Williams Bolletieri Tennis Center. Information about registration, match schedules, and volunteer opportunities is available now at Sportable.org.

“Wheelchair tennis in RVA has seen extraordinary growth over the last few years and we are thrilled that VCU Health has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the second annual River City Slam,” commented Hunter Leemon, Sportable Executive Director. “Some of the top wheelchair tennis players from across the country are slated to compete and it makes perfect sense to partner with the premier medical partner to host this prestigious event.”

Sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), the River City Slam is open to all levels, including first-time players, in divisions A, B, C, D, and Juniors. The tournament has attracted nearly 50 players from 17 states spanning California to Virginia. The International Tennis Federation’s Female Wheelchair Tennis Junior of the Year Gaila Fosbinder (Charlotte, NC) is slated to appear once again. Top-flight players Taylor Wingate (Rock Hill, SC) and Tam Albertson (Fountain Valley, CA) will also return to lead Division A competition. Local players, including last year’s Division B Doubles Champions Bruce Patton (Manakin Sabot, VA) and Chris Lamps (Richmond, VA), will represent Team Sportable.

One of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the world, wheelchair tennis is played on a standard tennis court in the same way as able-bodied tennis, with the only exception being that a wheelchair tennis player is allowed two bounces of the ball. The athlete’s wheelchair is considered to be a part of the body, so rules applying to the player’s body apply to the chair as well. Wheelchair tennis has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1992 and has been played at all four Grand Slams since 2007.

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