The inspiring story of an Argentine blind tennis world champion
By Gabriel Caparrós
From the small town of Benito Juárez in Argentina (20,000 inhabitants), I grew up with a great passion: tennis. I started playing at the age of six. Two years later, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes — a challenge that did not stop me. In fact, I kept going. In 2018, I obtained my tennis coaching diploma, and in 2019 I became a high performance coach through the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR). But in 2020, life took another turn. During the corona pandemic, I was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. After nine major surgeries, I lost my sight completely in May 2021.
What do you do when everything you know suddenly changes?
I chose to return to my first love: tennis. But differently. In March 2023, I started playing blind tennis with a blindfold. That same year, I played my first tournament and my IBTA World Championship in Krakow, Poland. I didn’t win a single match, but I took three matches to a super tiebreak. No medals — but a backpack full of experience and motivation.
I trained differently from others. Since I had no other blind players around me, I trained alone with my coaches. I combined techniques from regular tennis with the game for the blind and partially sighted. No official tournaments in my country, no team — only faith, discipline and hope.
In 2024, the reward came. During an IBTA international tournament in Poland, I reached the quarterfinals. And a week later, the unthinkable happened: I became world champion of blind tennis in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. Back in Argentina, I won two national titles. Today, I am ranked number 1 in my country.
Why Am I Sharing This With You?
Blind tennis has given my life a new direction. It has made me feel that nothing is impossible — not even when the world literally goes dark. In many countries, blind tennis is growing rapidly. Countries like the Netherlands are busy with pilots, workshops, clinics, and are building a community.
And I want to say: keep going. Whether you are just starting out or have been playing for a while — your story can be just as powerful. I believe that blind tennis will one day become a Paralympic sport. But for that we need each other. Every country. Every player. Every story counts.
Keep going. Keep Playing. And Never Give Up.
— Gabriel Caparros