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Visually Impaired Tennis Star Credits Family for World Title
9 Sep
Summary
- 21-year-old Ivan Rodriquez Deb won the B4 category at the World Blind Tennis Championships.
- His family's significant investment and support were crucial for his training and success.
- VI tennis uses a larger, audible foam ball for partially sighted and blind players.
Ivan Rodriquez Deb, a 21-year-old from Watford, has achieved the world champion title in visually impaired (VI) tennis. Competing in the B4 category at the recent World Blind Tennis Championships in Vilnius, Lithuania, he emerged victorious by winning all his matches.
Rodriguez Deb emphasized that this significant achievement required substantial support from his family members. His mother, Anita Deb, was instrumental in introducing him to VI tennis at the age of 13 and has consistently attended his matches.
He also highlighted the crucial role of his brother in his training regimen. Due to the limited funding available for VI tennis, his brother stepped in to help him practice, a commitment that was essential for him to reach the status of GB Number One and secure further sponsorship.
Rodriguez Deb, born with Marfan Syndrome which affects connective tissue and causes lens dislocation, described winning the championship as an incredible feeling. He views his gold medal as a symbol of a decade of hard work from himself, his team, coach Paul, and his supportive mother.
