Blind tennis is played on a regular tennis court using a special audible ball. The main principle: orientate using the sound of the ball, reaction and spatial awareness.
The most important element in blind tennis is the special audible ball. Without it, blind and visually impaired players would not be able to play tennis or orient themselves during the game.
The sound elements inside the ball allow players to hear its movement, detect direction, and prepare for the shot.
The ball is softer and slower than a regular tennis ball, making the game safer and more comfortable for blind and visually impaired players.
The entire training and playing environment is designed so players feel safe, comfortable, and confident on the court.
Blind tennis can be played on regular indoor or outdoor tennis courts, in sports halls, or in other safe playing environments.
The game can be played on:
Blind players use raised baseline markings as well as tactile corner and centre markers that help them feel court boundaries and understand their position on the court through their feet.
For visually impaired players, bright court lines with strong colour contrast against the surface are usually enough to clearly see the court boundaries during play.
Blind tennis uses regular tennis rackets that must comply with ITF standards. Rackets may be selected according to the individual needs of the player.
The training environment is adapted so even new players can safely begin playing from their very first session.
Would you like to see how blind tennis is played or try a training session yourself? Contact us — we will gladly introduce you to the sport, equipment, and training environment.
Email: info@blindsport.lt · Phone: +370 650 22040
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Blind tennis is played on a regular tennis court using ITF-standard tennis rackets and a special audible ball.
B1 category: 12.80 m × 6.10 m. B2, B3, B4: 18.28 m × 8.23 m (same width as a regular singles court).
B1 category: net height 83 cm. B2–B4: 90 cm.
A special soft ball with sound elements inside — the fundamental element of blind tennis, allowing players to play entirely by hearing.
B1 and B2 — 3 bounces, B3 — 2 bounces, B4 — 1 bounce. This gives players time to orientate using sound before hitting.
Tactile court lines and fully light-blocking eye masks are used for the category without vision (B1).
The main principle of the game is to orientate using the sound of the ball, reaction, spatial awareness, and movement on the court.
The most important condition before putting the ball into play is clear communication between players using the Ready / Yes / Play principle.
Before serving, the server must:
The serve may only be made after clearly hearing the response “Yes”. After the response “Yes”, the serve must be performed within 5 seconds.
If the ball touches the net during the serve and lands in the correct service area, the serve is replayed (“let”).
Blind tennis players are divided into four categories according to their level of vision. Players compete only against athletes from the same vision category.
3 bounces · Court 12.80 m × 6.10 m · Net 83 cm
3 bounces · Court 18.28 m × 8.23 m · Net 90 cm
2 bounces · Court 18.28 m × 8.23 m · Net 90 cm
1 bounce · Court 18.28 m × 8.23 m · Net 90 cm
The ball-identification distances mentioned above are provided only to help beginners roughly understand which category they may belong to. The official player category is determined by the official IBTA medical classification panel, usually held before the largest international tournaments.
Depending on the player category:
B1 category: 3 allowed ball bounces
B2 category: 3 allowed ball bounces
B3 category: 2 allowed ball bounces
B4 category: 1 allowed ball bounce
The increased number of bounces helps players orientate better and prepare for the shot.
The net divides the court into two equal sides. For example, if the full court length is 12.80 m, the net is positioned in the centre, leaving each side 6.40 m long.
The service line is the limit where the player must land the serve from the opposite side of the court.
The following match format is most commonly used in International Blind Tennis Association (IBTA) tournaments:
Game scoring follows regular tennis rules:
At 40:40:
The format used in a specific tournament is determined by the tournament referee.
If a deciding point is played, the receiving player chooses the service box.
The referee must identify:
If a player hits the ball after too many bounces, the point is lost.
The referee must determine:
If the ball touches a player before bouncing, the player’s position at the moment of contact is evaluated.
The referee loudly announces the out call and additionally provides information about the approximate landing position of the ball.
Additional comments are usually given in centimetres, for example:
In B1 matches, this additional out-call information is mandatory.
Before B2 and B3 matches, players must be asked whether they want precise out-call location announcements.
Blind Tennis is an adapted version of tennis created for blind and visually impaired players.
The sport was created in Japan in 1984 by student Miyoshi Takei. He adapted the rules of regular tennis for people with vision loss and developed a special audible ball that allows players to orient themselves through sound.
The main idea was to give blind and visually impaired people the opportunity to play tennis independently, stay physically active, and develop reaction, coordination, and spatial awareness.
The first official blind tennis competitions took place in Japan in 1990. Later, the sport rapidly expanded across Europe, Asia, North and South America.
As the sport continued to grow, the International Blind Tennis Association (IBTA) was established to coordinate:
Today, blind tennis is played in more than 30 countries around the world. Regularly organised events include:
The official tournament calendar, world rankings, and additional information are published on the official IBTA website: internationalblindtennis.org.
Blind tennis is not yet a Paralympic sport, but IBTA is actively working towards including blind tennis in the 2032 Paralympic Games.
Blind tennis in Lithuania officially began on May 4, 2021, at the courts of M7 Sport Balzekas Tennis Academy in Vilnius. At that time, Lithuania had only one blind tennis player — B1 category player Karolis Verbliugevičius.
The first training sessions took place together with coaches Laura Radzevičiūtė and Vytenis Makauskas, while coach Aidas Danilovas joined the project later.
An especially important role was played by Arūnas Balžekas, head of Balžekas Tennis Academy, together with the academy community. The academy provided blind tennis players with an opportunity to train free of charge on professional tennis courts. This support continues today, and Balžekas Tennis Academy remains the only place in Lithuania where blind tennis players can regularly train free of charge.
Structured Growth of Blind Tennis in Lithuania
In 2023, the sports club “Blind Sport Lt” was established on the initiative of Karolis Verbliugevičius and Aidas Danilovas to ensure long-term and structured development of blind tennis in Lithuania.
The organisation focuses on:
“Blind Sport Lt” became:
This became an important step in strengthening the visibility of blind tennis within Lithuania’s sports system.
Within just a few years, blind tennis in Lithuania grew into an active and rapidly expanding sports community.
The following activities started to develop:
New players, coaches, volunteers, and partners from different Lithuanian cities began joining the blind tennis movement.
First Historic Achievements
Within only a few years, Lithuanian blind tennis became visible internationally.
In 2023, B1 category player (without vision) Karolis Verbliugevičius, coached by Aidas Danilovas:
These results became a historic breakthrough for Lithuanian blind tennis on the international stage.
The Biggest Victory in Lithuanian Blind Tennis History
In 2025, Lithuanian blind tennis achieved some of the greatest victories in its history.
Karolis Verbliugevičius won the international blind tennis tournament in Loughborough, England.
Later that year, at the European Blind Tennis Championships in Warsaw, B1 category player (without vision) Karolis Verbliugevičius defeated world number one Naqi Rizvi from the United Kingdom in the final and became European Champion.
This was the first achievement of this level in Lithuanian blind tennis history.
On June 7, 2025, in cooperation with the French Tennis Federation and IBTA, blind tennis was presented on the legendary Roland Garros courts in Paris.
The demonstration featured:
Spectators were able to:
This became an important moment of international recognition for Lithuanian blind tennis.
Coaches from Around the World Experienced Blind Tennis
In 2025, blind tennis was presented during the ITF World Coaches Conference in Vilnius — one of the largest coaching events organised by the International Tennis Federation.
On the central court of SEB Arena, blind tennis was presented and demonstrated by:
Coaches from many countries had the opportunity to experience blind tennis in practice and learn more about the sport.
The demonstration attracted significant attention and became one of the most memorable moments of the conference.
The Largest Blind Tennis Event in Lithuanian History
The most important event in Lithuanian blind tennis history will take place from August 24–29, 2026. The IBTA Blind Tennis World Championships will be organised in Vilnius at SEB Arena.
The Championships are organised by “Blind Sport Lt” together with:
This will become:
The strongest blind tennis players from around the world will gather in Vilnius.
More About the ChampionshipBlind tennis in Lithuania continues to grow rapidly.
Regular training sessions currently take place in:
Lithuanian players compete in international tournaments, European Championships, and World Championships, and are ranked in the official IBTA world rankings.
The following Lithuanian players currently hold official IBTA classification and world ranking:
Within a very short period of time, Lithuania has become one of the most visible and fastest-growing blind tennis communities in the world.
Blind tennis in Lithuania continues to grow thanks to people who believe in inclusion, sport, and community.
We invite blind and visually impaired people to come to training sessions, discover the sport, and experience blind tennis for themselves — regardless of age or previous sports experience.
Become a PlayerWe are looking for coaches and tennis community members who want to contribute to the growth of blind tennis in Lithuania. Experience in blind sports is not required — motivation, openness, and willingness to learn are what matter most.
Become a CoachYour support helps us hire coaches, rent tennis courts, purchase special audible tennis balls, organise tournaments, and create more opportunities for blind and visually impaired people to participate in sport.
Support UsVolunteers are an essential part of the blind tennis community. We welcome everyone who wants to help during events, training sessions, tournaments, or simply get closer to the sport and community.
Contact UsEmail: info@blindsport.lt · Phone: +370 650 22040
