Kristen’s journey to becoming a Wheelchair Padel player is a story of resilience and strength. Kristen was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) in 2023. The condition, which affects the nervous system, meant she lost much of her mobility. Kristen had been incredibly active before her diagnosis and was soon introduced to Wheelchair Basketball. One night after a Basketball session she was approached by Chantelle and Phil Basford who were opening Padel Maidenhead and wanted to make sure the venue was inclusive. Kristen’s input helped ensure the club became a space where players of all abilities could feel welcome, it also led to Kristen trying Padel and her passion was ignited!
Having played tennis in her youth, she was drawn to Padel’s fast-paced, strategic nature and its emphasis on teamwork. Kristen started to play in earnest and was soon invited to join a team from Great Britain to participate in the Inclusive Padel Tour (IPT) – an international series of tournaments that champions accessibility and inclusion – as their first ever female adaptive athlete. She is now ranked as the GB No. 1 Female Wheelchair Padel Player. Kristen debuted at the Venice stage of the tour in October 2024. However, it was in Dubai in November that she really made her mark – reaching the quarterfinals and being awarded “Most Valued Player” of the tournament.
Kristen applied to the Dan Maskell Tennis Trust in early 2025 for a Matsunaga T Max High Performance wheelchair which was granted, and along with support from Padel Maidenhead, she was soon whizzing around court in her brand new chair. Since this introduction to Kristen, who is also the LTA’s Padel Ambassador, we have followed her journey and been so impressed with her positivity and passion for wheelchair Padel. We are delighted to have Kristen join us as our newest Ambassador, and our first Padel playing Ambassador!
