James Shaw

Ambassador. Mentor. Model. World Champion. These are just some of the words to describe six times national wheelchair tennis champion, James Shaw. It’s safe to say that the impact of the national lockdown has had a devastating effect on the world of sport. Athletes have been forced to find innovative ways to continue training but with most major tournaments postponed until 2021, some would have used the time to sit back and relax.

But, not tennis stars such as James Shaw. With the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) announcing in July that professional players could make a safe return to competitive tennis under new restrictions, James’ tennis 2020 season is back in full swing and Why Can’t We caught up with him ahead of the French Riviera Open to discuss his journey to and experience of playing at a professional level:

1. Tell us more about yourself and how you got into the sport.

I was born with cerebral palsy which is a neurological condition that results in a loss of coordination and tightness in muscles. I can walk short distances but lose balance easily, meaning I require a wheelchair most of the time, and also have a loss of hand dexterity. Both these facts meant at an early age I thought sport would be impossible for me. I always wanted to get into sport as I saw my dad regularly run and wanted to do the same, but this would clearly have been tough when I barely had the balance to walk. Later on, I decided I wanted to be a footballer but again due to the lack of knowledge on disability sport my parents thought this wouldn't be possible. However, as I had shown a keen interest in sport my parents took me to a disability day where I got to try lots of different sports and I eventually chose tennis because a training session was local to my house. I loved the fact I could finally do sport on a level playing field and could also play my friends on their feet, so I knew tennis was for me.

2. For those who don't know, can you tell us the rules of wheelchair tennis and if there are any classifications?

Wheelchair tennis is exactly the same as able-bodied tennis, the only difference is that wheelchair tennis players are allowed two bounces instead of just the one, however as players are getting faster and stronger we tend to try and take the ball on one bounce as it gives our opponents less time to react. There are two classifications. The first being paraplegics (paras) which includes men, women, and juniors respectively. In this division, everyone has a disability affecting one or more of their lower limbs. The common disabilities here include low-level spinal cord injuries and amputation of leg/s. The other classification, which I play in is quadriplegic (quads). The division is mixed gender and to qualify for it players must not only have a disability affecting there lower limb/s but must also have at least one upper limb affected too. Cerebral Palsy affects my grip and range of movement in my trunk and arms. Some competitors play with one arm, the racket taped to their hand, or by using a power chair. It's incredible to see how everyone can find a way to play the sport, even when it would seem impossible from the outside world.

3. You are 6 x National Champion and was World Team Champion in 2017 - how do you find the experience of competing at this level?

When I started playing tennis at age 7 I didn't even know there were professional athletes or world championships within disability sport. 18 years on, I have been on the GB for 5+ years, have been professional and full time for most of those and have won many titles along the way. Despite not knowing the different levels I would eventually reach, I knew I always had a love for competition and that continues now. Whatever the level of competition, the nerves and excitement are always there for me, and I love going out there and seeing how well I can perform. Hopefully, this will continue into me playing grand slams and Paralympic games in the future.

4. You play both double and single matches, does your training for this differ at all and do you have a preference?

I play both singles and doubles in competition but singles have taken priority so far in my career as that's what my personal and funding goals are based on. Because of this, singles training makes up a big part of my week but I'm starting to learn a lot more about doubles. Tactical work in doubles plays a big part and so does understanding how you can complement your partner. Depending on the role within a pair, my training can be very different as it can be more discussion-based and specific, whereas in singles I will have to work on all my skills on a regular basis. Singles are probably my preferred option as I like to be in control and fully accountable if I win or lose but doubles can often be more fun as you can be playing with a good friend, and get into great discussions about tennis on and off the court, which leads to more improvement.

5. You recently competed in your first international competition in 6 months, how did it feel to get back to competing?

Initially, when I heard I'd be competing again this year I was surprised and nervous as I didn’t expect to be back till 2021. Yet since coming back and seeing that the tournaments are safe my initial concerns passed and I became excited. I’ve done a lot of hard work the last 6 months both physically and mentally and that has paid off in some really good performances in my first competition back. I hope it continues to be safe to have these events over the winter so I can continue to show off my progress and get closer to that paralympic spot I'm aiming for.

6. This leads me nicely on to asking what you have been up to during lockdown? How have you kept yourself busy and how, if at all, have you adapted your training to being at home?

I moved into a new flat at the end of last year and I had been away for most of the time since then, so initially, I took some time to get new furniture and get it how I wanted. I took some time just to not think about the sport as the hectic schedule prior to isolation made me lose a bit of enjoyment for tennis. After a couple of weeks, I got back into a rigorous schedule to keep active and make little improvements that I otherwise wouldn't have the time to do during a full tournament year. I loved the quote 'if you don't progress during the lockdown, it's never been a lack of time that's held you back' and I decided to grasp this opportunity to get stronger, faster and mentally prepared as hopefully we'll never have a time like this again. My federation (LTA) supplied me and my teammates with rollers for our sports chair to do pushing drills, and home gym equipment which was vital. I was a little rusty tennis wise but I actually came out of lockdown better than I did going into it! Now my training schedule is back to normal and I am enjoying tennis again, giving myself more breaks when necessary to make sure my body and mind have time to rest.

7. You have a great YouTube channel and you have been documenting your journey to the Paralympics, how have you found this experience and most importantly, have you had fun making and editing these videos?

Documenting my journey to the games has been fun but definitely something to get used to as I initially felt a bit weird talking to a camera by myself. I think my teammates have got used to me stopping to record little bits while we're at tournaments and I've found it easier. I initially started because first of all, I wanted to get better at telling my story to help with my public speaking work, but also wanted to shed a light on disability sport as it really is something that has changed my life for the better. I used to be very shy and struggled to be independent due to lack of strength in my arms to push my chair, but playing sport has pushed me out of my comfort zone both mentally and physically. I want to show more people what is possible as there weren't any disabled people in the media I felt I could look up to growing up.

8. In your opinion, what effects do you think the media has on disability sport?

In recent years the media has started covering disabilities more and that in part is due to companies like Zebedee management who I model for, getting media outlets to realise the value of representing disabled people. This is the same with sport where events such as the Wimbledon wheelchair event is now televised on BBC and gets more coverage in general. Many disabled people are great role models as they have all had to overcome physical and often mental challenges to get to where they have in life, so having more coverage of disabled athletes is great for not only disabled people to see what is possible, and making them realise they can all be active, but also do the same for able-bodied people and drive the participation of all sports up across the world.

9. You are also a speaker and mentor, how did you get into this and what do you hope to achieve through speaking about your experience and mentoring others?

I didn't expect to be a speaker or a mentor as I was very shy as a child, having a close group of friends but struggling to talk to anyone else, let alone a group of strangers. However, I kept being asked by my old school to do a speech as they knew I had a good story to tell. After I eventually ran out of excuses not to, I decided to push through the mental stress and do it. My first speech was very nerve-wracking and I basically hid behind my pages of notes as I read them line by line. After finishing this speech I realised I do have a story to tell, and sport has completely changed my life. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunities to learn the lessons I have and although they may not have a disability holding them back everyone has something that tries to. Hopefully, by telling my story I can have a positive impact on other people's lives as I've proven that I've been able to overcome many obstacles and continue to do that to this day.

10. And finally, what is your favourite thing about playing wheelchair tennis?

My favourite thing about wheelchair tennis is the social aspect. Whether it be low-level competitions or international world championships everyone is very social and helpful to one another and this has been something that has helped me so much to grow as a person on and off the court. If anyone is not sure about trying a sport because they're worried they won't be good or they won't enjoy it, I'd 100% recommend giving it a go as it could completely change your life, just like it has with me.

If you’d like to follow James’ journey, we would highly recommend following him on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to stay up to date with all his latest results!