In the quiet of early morning at a Toronto tennis facility, the distinctive sound of a specialized ball cuts through the air. Naqi Rizvi listens intently, calculating its trajectory before executing a perfect forehand return. For the three-time national blind tennis champion, this routine represents more than practice – it’s part of a growing movement to bring blind tennis into the Paralympic spotlight.
“You feel the game differently,” explains Rizvi, who lost his sight progressively throughout his teens but found tennis gave him a renewed sense of purpose. “It’s all about spatial awareness, sound recognition, and trusting your instincts. The court becomes a space you navigate through hearing.”
Blind tennis, also called sound tennis, uses foam balls containing rattles and allows one to three bounces depending on visual classification. Players with total blindness like Rizvi are permitted three bounces, while those with partial vision receive fewer accommodations.
The sport has gained substantial traction across Canada in recent years. Tennis Canada reports a 47% increase in blind tennis participation since 2020, with programs now operating in seven provinces. Still, Rizvi believes Paralympic inclusion represents the crucial next step.
“We’ve proven the competitive framework exists,” Rizvi told me during a recent training session at the Mayfair Parkway Tennis Club. “What we need now is greater visibility and structural support that comes with Paralympic recognition.”
Rizvi has emerged as a powerful advocate, speaking at sport inclusion conferences and meeting with Canadian Paralympic Committee officials. His efforts have helped secure additional funding for blind tennis development programs in Ontario and British Columbia.
Dr. Amanda Chen, sport inclusion researcher at the University of Toronto, sees Rizvi’s advocacy as particularly effective. “He bridges the gap between lived experience and systemic change,” Chen explains. “Having champion athletes lead advocacy efforts provides authenticity that policy papers alone can’t achieve.”
The International Paralympic Committee requires sports to demonstrate global competition structures, standardized rules, and regular international tournaments before consideration. Blind tennis, while meeting many criteria, faces challenges around consistent classification systems and worldwide participation numbers.
Emily Watson, spokesperson for the Canadian Paralympic Committee, acknowledges these hurdles but sees progress. “We’re witnessing remarkable momentum behind blind tennis,” Watson says. “The development pathway is strengthening, with more international tournaments and standardized rule sets emerging each year.”
This April, Canada hosted its largest blind tennis tournament to date, drawing competitors from twelve countries. Rizvi claimed silver, narrowly losing to Japan’s Yutaro Takahashi in a gripping final that demonstrated the sport’s competitive intensity.
The match captured media attention when a video of one particularly impressive 14-shot rally went viral on social media. “That moment helped change perceptions,” Rizvi says with a smile. “People suddenly realized this isn’t just recreational activity – it’s high-performance sport requiring exceptional skill.”
Beyond the competitive aspects, blind tennis delivers profound benefits to participants. A recent Canadian National Institute for the Blind survey found that 82% of visually impaired individuals who participated in adapted sports reported improved confidence in daily mobility and independence.
Maria Sanchez, who recently began playing blind tennis at age 56 after losing her sight to glaucoma, represents the sport’s broader impact. “Before finding blind tennis, I was becoming increasingly isolated,” Sanchez explains during a community clinic where Rizvi volunteers as a coach. “Now I have this wonderful community and physical activity that keeps me engaged and moving.”
Rizvi’s advocacy extends beyond Paralympic inclusion to grassroots accessibility. He’s worked with Tennis Canada to develop coaching certification modules specifically for teaching blind tennis and has helped establish equipment grants for community centers introducing the sport.
“Paralympic recognition would accelerate everything we’re building,” Rizvi notes. “But the true goal is creating opportunities for people with visual impairments to experience the joy and benefits of tennis at every level.”
The International Blind Tennis Association projects that Paralympic inclusion could become reality by the 2032 Brisbane games, though many hope for faster progress. Meanwhile, Rizvi continues balancing his training schedule with advocacy work, recently meeting with Sport Canada officials to discuss additional funding pathways.
His coach, former Davis Cup player Marcus Wong, believes Rizvi’s influence extends beyond blind tennis. “What Naqi’s doing ripples through the entire adaptive sports community,” Wong observes. “He’s showing how athlete-led advocacy can transform sporting landscapes.”
As our interview concludes, Rizvi is already preparing for his next training session. “Every time someone new discovers blind tennis, whether as a player or spectator, we move one step closer to Paralympic inclusion,” he says, bouncing a rattle ball against his racquet. “And that sound – that’s the sound of progress.”
