(ATR) The wheelchair tennis development officer of the International Tennis Federation tells Around the Rings that London 2012 represents a "step change" for his sport.
Mark Bullock was speaking to ATR at Eton Manor, the purpose-built venue for wheelchair tennis in the Olympic Park – the only venue to be specifically built for the Paralympic Games. The British chief praised the venue and looked ahead to the next Paralympics in four years' time.
"We really feel that this has been a step change and we’ve learned a lot going forward to Rio," he said. "The things we’re looking to improve are all really nice things. We’re looking at television on more courts; in an Olympic venue we’ll have one more show court, which will help us in terms of spectators that we’ve experienced here.
"So all the challenges we’ve had have been positive. We knew it was going to be good because we’re based in London and we’ve seen the preparations close-up. We’re very aware of how the media have felt about it and the general public.
"But I think even our expectations have been exceeded both in terms of the venue and the Games as a whole."
Though in the Park, Eton Manor suffers from its location across a busy highway, so it's not in the main region of activity.When ATR spoke with LOCOG deputy wheelchair tennis manager Jayant Mistry earlier this year, he brought up the concern of inclement weather not just for the players but for spectators, as there is very little shelter.
However, Bullock maintained that the stands had been packed and added "somebody’s got to be on the edge of the Park. If it’s not us, it would be somebody, else and we’ve done a lot of work with our communications to ensure that people come out here.
"We’ve got [a great] spectator experience on the Park, so people know about us and can try it on our tennis court on the Park. We’ve had pretty full stands. We couldn’t have got more people in here."
The "have-a-go" tennis court on the Park is a new innovation for London 2012 and has proved so popular that the ITF will look to install one in the Olympic Park in Rio. Forward thinking and planning is constant in the federation’s office as Bullock says London is just "the continuum of our journey".
"Our Facebook likes have gone up three times, so we’re trying to build a fanbase and trying to get our players as household names, increase interest in the sport at all levels.
"We’re here promoting tennis, not just wheelchair tennis. London has given us the opportunity, and it’s up to us to deliver."
Reported by Christian Radnedge
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