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Grace helps make history at the Australian Open

Our incredible client Grace took part in the Blind Low Vision Showdown part of the Grand Slam tennis event at this year's Australian Open.
Photo of Grace holding a trophy
  • Vision

History was made at this year’s Australian Open, with a Blind Low Vision Showdown part of the Grand Slam tennis event for the very first time. Our incredible client Grace was on the court as her team won the inaugural event.

We have been following Grace’s journey since she was a toddler. Now in her twenties, Grace has Usher syndrome, a genetic disease that affects her hearing and vision. She has received early intervention and cochlear implant services support from NextSense throughout her life.

Grace discovered Blind Low Vision (BLV) tennis around seven years ago. And what began as a social activity has developed into her lifelong passion and taken her to places she would never have imagined—including All Abilities days that were held as part of the 2024 and 2025 Australian Open programs of events.

BLV tennis is an adaptive sport that can be played by people of any age with any eye condition. It uses a large, foam ball that has a rattle inside and there are four different classifications depending on the player’s level of vision with corresponding adaptations to the court and game.

What sets this sport apart from other blind sports is that sighted people can play with the vision impaired. Participating in blind sports gives everyone an opportunity to move, get fit, meet new people and become part of the community.

— Grace

Grace says the main goal with BLV tennis is to have fun, and she’s certainly had a ball so far. She was selected to compete against the world’s best BLV tennis players at the Open, which she says was a “great privilege”. She also participated in the All Abilities Day at the Margaret Court Arena—with an atmosphere she describes as ”electric”.

A highlight for her was meeting other players with a similar passion.

Grace standing next to other players on a court while a man takes a photo of the group with other people looking on

Having the top players from all over the world compete in the premiere event was something special. Competitors came from Japan, England, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and Columbia.

— Grace

She hopes it will inspire other grand slam organisers to consider including a similar event as part of their program. In the meantime, BLV tennis continues to be one of the fastest-growing sports for people who are blind or have low vision in Australia.

What’s next for Grace? She is training hard on and off the court and is looking forward to taking part in more tournaments around the country—and potentially further afield.

About Usher syndrome

Usher Syndrome is a rare condition characterised by hearing loss and progressive vision loss, and can also impact the vestibular system, which helps control balance and gross motor skills. It is the leading cause of genetic deafblindness.

NextSense Institute’s Dr Sue Silveira and physiotherapist Laura Harper belong to a group of researchers who have published research into the issues faced by people with Usher syndrome. This looks at how hard it still is to determine how many people have the condition; the many challenges faced by people living with it and the impact these challenges have on them and their family; as well as the benefits that early support can provide.

Usher syndrome resources

Not-for-profit organisation UsherKids Australia has a range of resources and information on their website.

You can hear more from UsherKids Co-founder and Director Emily Shepard on our podcast as she discusses her experience of navigating a complex Usher Syndrome diagnosis for her son, and provides advice for professionals working in early intervention.