Sharon Walraven (Wheelchair tennis)

Sharon started to play wheelchair tennis in 1994, and she has won many tournaments around the world ever since. She has played at Roland Garros, Flushing Meadows, Wimbledon and in the Australian Open among others. She has won three gold medals for the Netherlands in the World Championships, and many singles and doubles tournaments around the world. She is currently ranked third in the world by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Her biggest victory came at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, where she won the Gold medal in the Women’s Doubles. In a thrilling final, Sharon and her doubles partner Korie Homan defeated top seeds Esther Vergeer and Jiske Griffioen in three sets (2-6, 7-6, 6-4). After winning Silver at the Sydney Paralympics in 2000 and the bitter disappointment of missing the Athens Paralympics in 2004 due to health problems, this Gold medal was the biggest achievement in her career as a tennis player.

In addition to her achievements on the tennis court, Sharon is also active off court. After winning her Gold medal in Beijing, Sharon visited Nigeria to promote wheelchair tennis in a region with limited facilities for the disabled. To learn more about Sharon and her remarkable career, please check out her personal website.