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Ben Weekes

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Ben Weekes
2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1984-09-20) 20 September 1984 (age 40)
Websitewww.benweekestennis.com
Sport
Country Australia
SportWheelchair tennis

Ben Weekes (born 20 September 1984) is an Australian wheelchair tennis player. He competed at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, his sixth Games.[1]

Personal

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Weekes at the 2012 London Paralympics

Weekes was born on 20 September 1984 in Strathfield, New South Wales.[2][3] He has an identical twin brother, and two other brothers.[2] He is an incomplete paraplegic as a result of a blood clot forming in his spine when he was thirteen years old.[2][4] He is a composer and pianist, having received formal training in this area.[2][4] His music has been recorded and he has played at the BarMe Cabaret Bar, Angel Place and the Sydney Opera House.[2][4]

Other sports he participates in are swimming and basketball.[2]

Weekes is openly gay.[5]

Tennis

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Weekes is a wheelchair tennis player.[2][6] When playing, he follows the same rules as his non-disabled counterparts except the ball is allowed to bounce twice.[7][8] He became interested in the sport after watching David Hall play it at the 2000 Summer Paralympics,[2][4] and would go on to practice regularly with Hall, until Hall retired from the sport in 2006.[4] He has been coached by Kathy Fahim.[4]

Weekes first represented Australia in 2002.[2] That year, he competed in the Junior World Cup where he finished second.[2] At the 2004 World Cup, his team finished second.[2] He competed at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens. He won his first-round match,[2] and was knocked out in the second round.[2][3]

Weekes competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, playing doubles with Michael Dobbie.[2][3][6] Going into the 2008 Games, he practised twice a day on court, six times a week.[4] In 2008, Weekes played some doubles matches with Adam Kellerman.[9]

At the 2011 South African Open, he made the finals.[2] At the 2012 Summer Paralympics, he made the second round of the men's singles and he teamed with Adam Kellerman in the men's doubles. They lost in the first round.[10][3][7][9] In the doubles event, he is due to be partnered by Adam Kellerman.[8][9]

At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Weekes lost to Stefan Olsson (SWE) 0-2 (0–6, 3–6) in the round of 32 in the Men's Singles and with Adam Kellerman lost in the round of 16 in the Men's Doubles.[11]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Weekes lost in the Round of 32 in the Men's Singles and Doubles. At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he lost in the round of 64 in the Men's Singles and round of 32 with Anderson Parker in Men's Doubles.

References

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  1. ^ "Australia's Wheelchair Tennis Quartet Confirmed For Tokyo 2020". Paralympics Australia. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Ben Weekes". Australia: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2012. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d Murray, Oliver. "Ben aims to deliver at Paralympics". Inner West Courier. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Tennis – Sports – Olympics". Melbourne: The Age. 2 August 2008. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  5. ^ Buzinski, Jim. "Gay tennis player Ben Weekes is fired up for his sixth Paralympics". OutSports. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  6. ^ a b Olivia McGrath (10 September 2008). "Australia up to 26 medals". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Paralympic dream comes true for Kendall tennis club player". CCamden Haven Courier. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  8. ^ a b Chen, Torin (28 June 2012). "Adam's Paralympic dream — Tennis". North Shore Times. Sydney. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  9. ^ a b c Chen, Torin. "Adam the ace set for medal". North Shore Times. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  10. ^ "Ben Weekes". International Paralympic Committee Historical Results Database. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Ben Weekes". Rio Paralympics Official site. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
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