World #1 Comes to Miami to Spread Message About Wheelchair Tennis

A flight from The Netherlands to Miami spans over 4,600 miles and 12 hours. It’s not an easy trek. But one that Dutch tennis player Diede de Groot, a 41-time Grand Slam wheelchair champion, happily made in late April for the inaugural Miami Open Wheelchair Invitational.

“It’s a great step up for us to show wheelchair tennis at the Miami Open. People can see that we’re here and we deserve a spot next year for an actual tournament,” said de Groot after a public practice session in steamy Miami Gardens.

As the top-ranked singles player the world, de Groot doesn’t have to take time out of her challenging international schedule, in a Paralympic year, to participate in an invitational tournament. But that’s what sets her apart. Wheelchair tennis is more than a sport to de Groot. It’s an opportunity to motivate others and spark change.

“Through my play, I want to inspire all people to start to move and believe in their dreams.”

In addition to her on-court accolades (of which there are many), it’s de Groot’s inspirational mission that earned her a sponsorship from Citi as the global bank’s first Wheelchair Tennis player. It’s a relationship that dates back to the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.

“It’s an honor to be supported by a company like Citi and I hope to inspire millions of people around the world,” said de Groot with a smile. “From the day I signed with Citi, I’ve been proud that we fight together to accomplish our mission to help raise awareness for people living with disabilities. My partnership with Citi has provided me and other Para athletes with an ongoing platform to share our perspectives and help shape the narrative around people with disabilities.”

Leading up to the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, Citi’s PARA SPORT platform includes a global multimedia advertising campaign entitled “What Happened?”; de Groot will be featured alongside five other Team Citi Paralympians from across the globe.

“This campaign will tell the story behind the athlete, to show viewers that while they might be living with a disability, these athletes have accomplished so much more than what meets the eye,” said Tina Davis, head of enterprise marketing and brand engagement at Citi. “Citi is proud to support the journey of Paralympians like Diede and we remain committed to growing Para sport on an international scale.”

On the campaign, de Groot said: “For me it’s important to really be viewed as an athlete. Yes, I am a Paralympic athlete. Yes, I play wheelchair tennis. But I play tennis and I’m an athlete as well. I hope that in the future people really start to see that we’re athletes, we work so hard, we work full time, and we try our best in every way. I hope this campaign shows people that it’s normal to be an athlete. It’s not normal in terms of ‘it’s great, it’s amazing, it’s fantastic,’ but it’s normal in the way of ‘we’re just athletes.’”

Not only is de Groot the best player in Wheelchair Tennis right now, she is one of the best tennis players in history. Period. 

de Groot is the first tennis player, wheelchair or able-bodied, to ever win three straight calendar grand slams. This summer, she is on a quest for a second straight Golden Slam – which includes all four grand slam titles and Paralympic gold medal in a calendar year. She also accomplished the feat in 2021.

Along with 23 Grand Slam wheelchair singles titles, passing Dutch compatriot Esther Vergeer’s record of 21, de Groot’s career accomplishments include:

• 145 straight match victories from February 2021 through May 2024
• Two Paralympic gold medals (2020 Tokyo Women’s Singles; 2020 Tokyo Women’s Doubles)

Diede de Groot is a gamechanger on the court and a trailblazer off it. And that is the accolade she is most proud of.

“If through this platform I can teach the younger generation about the possibilities of playing Wheelchair Tennis, that is the victory I will celebrate the most.” 

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Written by: Ian Cropp. Top Photo: Hard Rock Stadium / Miami Open.