Keegan Oh-Chee has already shown he can overcome his disability, but other issues frustrate him when he takes to the court.
Every morning, Keegan Oh-Chee takes to the tennis courts determined to become the world number one in wheelchair tennis.
“I wouldn't be out here if I didn't think I could do it,” he says.
But his aspirations are met with frustration, knowing his sport does not receive the recognition he believes it deserves.
“We're hard working athletes. We work just as hard, if not harder to overcome a disability and go out there and do what we love.”
He says there is a stigma that disability sports is not fiercely competitive as able-bodied sports.
“I mention to people I'm a tennis player, a professional tennis player and they say, ‘oh that's good, that's great, good on you for getting out and doing, getting out of the house playing sport, good on you, ‘ that’s it.”
A gifted wheelchair athlete, Oh-Chee turned down the opportunity to represent Australia in basketball, to focus on tennis.
It paid dividends, with Oh-Chee leaping forty places in the World Rankings, finishing the season at 42.
“Last year I played some really good matches in the summer and that set the tone for the year.”
While rivals on court, Oh-Chee and training partner Ben Weekes know they can draw more respect for their sport by achieving good results internationally.
They recently won the NSW Sports Federation's team of the year award for their part qualifying for the top tier World Team Cup, the Davis Cup of wheelchair tennis.
“I think it's just a really exciting time at the moment,” says Ben Weekes.
“We have three really strong players in the top 50 in the world, and I think [we] just [have] that ability. We're all in Sydney training together to keep pushing each other up and up and up the ranks.
And it's that sort of determination that the duo hope will not only guarantee results but help change perceptions.
