THE 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris officially kicks off on August 28, with 11 days of competition coming to an end on September 8.
Channel 4 is covering the event with a team of commentators calling the shots in the wheelchair tennis.
Who are the Paralympic wheelchair tennis commentators?
Louise Hunt
Louise Hunt was born on May 24, 1991, with the condition spina bifida.
She began playing wheelchair tennis at the age of five.
Louise made her Paralympic debut at London 2012, in the women’s singles competition, and represented Team GB again at Rio 2016.
She won a number of silver and bronze medals as part of Great Britain’s squad at the World Team Cup.
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In 2015, she secured her first career singles wins against world top ten ranked opposition.
She reached a career high of ten in the world rankings in both singles and doubles, and number two nationally.
Louise retired from competition in 2021 and is now an international tournament director and professional commentator.
The former wheelchair tennis player has been a pundit at Wimbledon, World Team Cup, and the Paralympics.
The sportswoman is part of the wheelchair tennis commentating team for Channel 4 at Paralympics 2024.
Speaking to Business Biscuit, she said: “I’m very excited to be part of the wheelchair etnnis commentary team in Paris.
“I’m especially thrilled to be working with Jayant Mistry, who I have known for most of my life.
“As a junior player, he was one of my idols.
“He was who I aspired to be like, and it’s an incredible honour to now work alongside him.”
She added: “I am immensely proud to be working alongside such an elite team of presenters, pundits, reporters, and commentators for this historic event, and I cannot wait to get started!”
Jayant Mistry
Retired British wheelchair tennis player, Jayant Mistry, is a former British number one singles player.
The guest pundit also ranked number two in the men’s doubles.
He competed at four Paralympic Games and was a semi-finalist in the men’s doubles at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Born on August 29, 1966, he was the first British player to win the wheelchair men’s doubles title at the 2005 Wimbledon Championships alongside France’s Michaël Jeremiasz.
Jayant was also the first British man to win a men’s title at the Wimbledon Championships after Fred Perry in 1936.
Like Louise, he was born with spina bifida, and the pair were part of the BBC commentating team at Wimbledon 2024.
Jayant had his right foot amputated at the age of 12 and wears a prosthetic.
He retired from playing in 2007.
Katherine Downes
Katherine Downes is an English television presenter, who specialises in sports coverage.
In 2022, she was a key member of the BBC Sport team, presenting and conducting interviews at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Katherine is a familiar voice on Radio 5 Live, commentating on skating at the Winter Olympics, diving at the Paris Olympics, Wimbledon, and the Ryder Cup.
Born on June 11, 1982, Katherine has also appeared on the BBC Breakfast sofa.
When are the wheelchair tennis events at the Paralympics 2024?
The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games will take place from August 28 to September 8.
The wheelchair tennis begins on August 30 and finishes on September 7.
There are six medal events at the Paralympic Games – women’s, men’s and quad singles and doubles.
Draws are straight knockout and matches are played as best of three tie-break sets with the doubles featuring a match tie-break at one set all.
How to watch the Paralympics 2024
The Paris 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony will be broadcast live on Channel 4 in the UK on August 28, 2024, from 6.30pm.
Coverage will start at 7am or 8am during the games with Paralympics Breakfast.
It will then air throughout the day, with a highlights programme at 10.30pm.
The Last Leg In Paris will also air each night – except Tuesday, September 3 – from 9.45pm until 10.30pm.
This will be hosted as normal by Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, and Alex Brooker.
US spectators can tune in on either Peacock or NBC Olympics platforms.
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