The following is one of several spotlights being published by Tennis Canada this month as part of its Victory will be HERS fundraising campaign. They tell the stories of five inspirational women for whom tennis has played a major role and contributed towards victories in their personal and professional lives.
Today, we focus on Frederique’s story. By supporting Tennis Canada’s Game. Set. Equity. initiative, you can make a real difference in the lives of women and girls, both on and off the court. Donate today.
Frédérique Bérubé Perron’s remarkable rise on the Canadian wheelchair tennis scene began just a couple of years ago. That’s hard to imagine, given she’s now one of the foremost up-and-coming player in the country and the world.
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Her story is one of success through perseverance, against the odds. Born with a congenital malformation that led to the amputation of her leg as an infant, Frédérique has never let challenges define her. Instead, she has used tennis as a tool to rewrite her story and inspire others.
Like many others, the sport has deeply impacted her life. On the court, she’s a national champion and aspiring Paralympian. Off it, she’s gained resilience and confidence, though remains supremely humble.
“My amputation never restrained me from doing anything. And, in fact, wheelchair tennis really helped me accept my amputation and not fear showing it.”
– Frédérique Bérubé Perron
Frédérique grew up participating in multiple sports, including basketball, hockey and karate. Her favourite was soccer, which she played competitively as well as with friends. However, when she was 12, her congenital challenges presented another tough decision; reconstructive surgery on her ear would bring an end to her participation in any contact sports.
It was a choice she made with a heavy heart but one she looks back on as a turning point in her life for the right reasons. “If I had chosen to not do the surgery, I would have maybe never found tennis,” she said. “I’m really happy that it happened.”
After the procedure, Frédérique began the search for her new sporting passion. Her mom suggested she try tennis at their local club. At the time, Frédérique – who wears a prosthetic – was unaware that wheelchair tennis was an option but still thoroughly enjoyed and excelled at the able-bodied version of the sport.
“I had my first practice, and I was like ‘oh, that’s my sport’. I loved it so much and wanted to continue. I started by playing standup tennis because I didn’t know I could play wheelchair tennis. I knew it existed, but didn’t know like it was accessible for me.”
That changed in the summer of 2022. One day at practice, Frédérique’s coach asked for volunteers for ball kids at a tournament taking place the next day at their club. She raised her hand and turned up to find it was a wheelchair tennis event, which had moved from its intended outdoor venue due to forecasted rain.
“When I went on-court to have the training session for the ball kids, I was wearing shorts and so you could see my prosthetic,” she said. Also at the event was Canadian wheelchair tennis player, Barry Henderson. When he noticed Frédérique, the two got talking about their common experiences as amputees and Barry convinced her to try her hand at the sport.
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Shortly after that conversation, Barry introduced Frédérique to Kai Schrameyer, Tennis Canada’s National Coach of Wheelchair Tennis. The rest is history… “I spoke with Kai and had a little training session. I tried wheelchair tennis for the first time in June 2022, and I completely fell in love with the sport.”
Within weeks, she was playing ITF tournaments and, before long, gained a reputation as a promising player on the tour. Fast forward a couple of short years and Frédérique is already living up to the hype. In 2024 alone, she won the Birmingham Nationals, Canada’s wheelchair tennis national championships, and her first ITF Futures tournament in Vancouver.
Her biggest victory, though, was becoming the first Canadian in history to qualify for a junior Grand Slam in wheelchair tennis at the US Open. It was a goal that took dedication, focus and patience, making it all-the-more satisfying once it was achieved.
“It was an incredible experience,” she said. “I worked really hard, played a lot of tournaments. And when I received the acceptance list and I finally knew that I got in, I was so, so happy. This stress that was there all year, just disappeared. Going there was like a dream coming true.” In New York, she reached the semi-finals, losing only to the eventual champion, Japan’s Yuma Takamuro.
Looking ahead, Frédérique has lofty ambitions which include qualifying for Los Angeles 2028 and to one day win a Paralympic medal. But, she’s also acutely aware of the role she has to play off the court, as a woman in wheelchair tennis who has the ability to inspire others to try the sport or become a fan.
“It’s kind of unreal thinking that I can be a role model to some women and girls. I hope if people see my story, they’re going to start thinking about wheelchair tennis and play or even just watch it.”
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As part of its wheelchair tennis program, Tennis Canada recently unveiled the Wheelchair Tennis Whole Player Development Pathway (WTWPDP), which provides recommendations to guide player development at each stage and foster a lifelong passion for wheelchair tennis. It’s an initiative Frédérique will be crucial in the sport’s development.
“Thanks to Tennis Canada because they’re really helpful for developing wheelchair tennis, including the new program [the WTWPDP] that went out recently. I hope that’s going to help reach lots of players because we don’t have enough right now.”
Your support helps women overcome barriers and achieve victories on and off the court. Join us today in creating a more equitable future in tennis. Frédérique is proof of what’s possible when we invest in programs that empower women and girls in tennis. Her journey inspires us to dream bigger and work harder toward an equitable future in the sport. Donate today.
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