Wheelchair tennis was developed in 1976 at the Rancho Los Amigos rehabilitation center in Downey, California, by Brad Parks, a former skier who became paralyzed after an accident, and his therapist Jeff Minnebracker, who also used a wheelchair. They worked on lighter wheelchairs and adopted the rule that allowed two bounces, enabling wheelchair users to play against able-bodied tennis players. They later organized clinics and tournaments, helping the sport spread; the first US Open was held in 1980.

Dutch players Chantal Vandierendonck and Monique Kalkman became early leading figures in Europe. Wheelchair tennis was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Paralympic Games, where Vandierendonck won gold and Kalkman silver, and became a full Paralympic sport in Barcelona in 1992, with their medal positions reversed. The sport entered the Grand Slam tournaments from 2002 and was fully included at Wimbledon in 2016. The account says it is now played at the highest level in 40 countries, with 160 international tournaments under the international tennis federation. The Wheelchair Tennis Finals in Barcelona were taking place until Sunday, with several Dutch players competing.