A visually impaired tennis player from Watford has become world champion at the blind championships.
Ivan Rodriguez Deb, 21, won the World Visually Impaired Tennis Championships in Vilnius, Lithuania, an achievement he has dreamt of since beginning the sport as a young boy.
The sportsman first discovered visually impaired tennis after struggling to see the ball in mainstream matches. He was born with Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that causes lens dislocation.
Yet now as he represents Great Britain independently on the world stage, Ivan has struggled to sum up his emotions after becoming world champion.
On social media, he said: “I still can’t quite put into words what this means.
“This is an unforgettable achievement I’ve dreamed of since taking up the sport as a boy. There have been many challenges and sacrifices. From not having access to a court when I started, to the immense financial strain of a sport which is largely self-funded. Standing here as World Champion makes it all worth it.”
Ivan is also a European Champion. He won Great Britain’s only singles gold medal at the European Visually Impaired Tennis Championships, competed at the first Blind and Low Vision Australian Open tournament, and reached World No.1 in visually impaired tennis.
The athlete credited the win to his family for the support they have provided, as well as his coach, Paul Seymour, and fellow club member, Stuart Burden, who helped him train for the world championship title.
He added: “I could not have done this on my own.”
Feature image: Anita Deb / Watford Borough Council
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