The winners of the men’s and women’s finals at the 2016 U.S. Open were not the tennis players most people picked. Stan Wawrinka and Angelique Kerber began the tournament overshadowed by bigger names and higher ranked players, but they both fought to victory and earned the championship titles.
Special Olympics Florida athlete Brittany has a lot in common with Wawrinka and Kerber – she is often overlooked, she defeated her rivals in a big tournament, and she dominates the tennis court!
Brittany recently competed with her partner Ninan in the Orlando United Doubles Tennis Tournament and won the championship! Brittany is showing that not only are people with intellectual disabilities excelling in Special Olympics sports, but they are increasingly given the opportunities to compete with and against people without disabilities.
Tennis is a thricing sport at Special Olympics Florida, and we are honored to partner with the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) to bring the sport to more athletes each year. In addition, Special Olympics Unified Sports brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities to play and compete on the same team. Through partnerships like USTA, programs like Unified Sports, and athletes like Brittany, we are building a more inclusive and respectful world together.
Original Article from: Special Olympics Florida