A two-time medallist with three Paralympic Games to her credit, a dual Paralympian and a Games rookie form the Australian Tennis Team set to take on the world's best players at the Paralympic Games in September.
NSW athlete Ben Weekes and Victorians Daniela Di Toro and Michael Dobbie are the trio chosen by the Australian Paralympic Committee and announced by Darren Peters, the Chef de Mission of the 2008 Australian Paralympic Team.
Di Toro, who made her Paralympic debut back in Atlanta in 1996, headlines the team as she continues on her comeback trail after she retired shortly after winning the bronze medal at the Athens Paralympic Games four years ago. The 34-year-old also won silver at Sydney in 2000.
She is joined by Sydney-sider Weekes and Games debutant Dobbie, the men with the task of helping to continue Australia's excellent wheelchair tennis record at Paralympic level.
Weekes will feature at his second Games, forming the experienced half of the doubles-combination he will develop with Dobbie in Beijing.
Mr Peters said the three athletes selected are all capable of something special in the Chinese capital.
"Eight players have represented Australia since Wheelchair Tennis was introduced as a Paralympic sport in 1988, and in that time, our country has performed strongly," Mr Peters said.
"In Beijing, the competition will be tougher than ever before but I'm sure the 2008 Australian Paralympic Tennis team will continue that tradition of spirit and achievement."
Australia has won one gold, five silver and three bronze medals since 1988, the gold medal won by David Hall in front of his home crowd at the Sydney Paralympic Games.
"Australia has had good success in tennis at the Paralympic Games but I think we're going to find the competition a lot tougher than in previous years," said Greg Crump, Australian Paralympic Tennis Team head coach.
"But we're always optimistic. The three team members are all hitting the ball very well at the moment and we're all really looking forward to seeing what the team can do.
"Daniela is an experienced veteran and has that hunger back after retiring in Athens, and the two guys are both very capable. Michael, particularly, has been playing brilliantly in Europe recently and at a Paralympic Games, anything is possible."
