The Welsh Wheelchair Open 2026 brought players together at Rhiwbina Squash Club on Saturday 12th September for another fantastic day of competitive wheelchair squash.
With nine players entering this year’s event, the tournament continued the development of wheelchair squash in Wales, providing players with plenty of competitive court time in a friendly and supportive environment.
This year’s event also had a real international flavour, with players travelling from France and Canada to compete alongside players from Wales and across the UK, demonstrating the growing reach of the Welsh Wheelchair Open.
The day began with practice and coaching from 10:00am, giving players an opportunity to get on court, prepare for the competition and develop their skills before lunch.
The official tournament then got underway at 1:00pm.
Tournament Format
With nine players entered, competitors were seeded from 1–9 before being drawn into two groups.
Group A contained five players, while Group B contained four.
Players competed against everyone within their respective group, establishing their finishing positions before progressing to the positional matches.
The format ensured players enjoyed plenty of competitive squash throughout the afternoon, with the tournament ultimately culminating in the Welsh Wheelchair Open Final, contested between the winner of Group A, Richard Plenty and the winner of Group B, Steve McGrath.
The final was also live streamed on YouTube, allowing supporters unable to attend Rhiwbina to follow the conclusion of the tournament. To re-watch the final click here, or scroll to the bottom of the page :Welsh Wheelchair Open 2026
Final Positions
1st – Richard Plenty🏆
2nd – Steve McGrath 🥈
3rd – Guido Grassi🥉
4th – Alex Rowlands
5th – Harry Thomas
6th – Jared Henry
7th – Simon Kilshaw
8th – John Cooper
9th – Richard Manners
Growing Wheelchair Squash
The 2026 Open represents another important step in the continued development of wheelchair squash in Wales.
Alongside the competition itself, Squash Wales has continued to create opportunities for people to experience the sport through regular wheelchair squash sessions at Rhiwbina and this year’s collaborative Wheelchair Tennis & Squash pilot.
Welcoming nine competitors, including international players from France and Canada, provides further encouragement as we look to continue growing participation and creating more opportunities for wheelchair players to enjoy squash.
Thank You
Squash Wales would like to say a huge thank you to Pickerings Lifts for sponsoring the Welsh Wheelchair Open 2026 and helping us deliver another successful event.
We would also like to thank Rhiwbina Squash Club for once again providing such a welcoming home for wheelchair squash and for hosting the tournament.
We would particularly like to thank Richard Plenty, whose enthusiasm, coaching and commitment have been instrumental in developing wheelchair squash at Rhiwbina. Richard continues to give his time and energy to creating opportunities for players to get involved in the sport, and the growth of the Welsh Wheelchair Open would not be possible without his support.
Our thanks also go to Sport Wales and National Lottery for their continued support, which helps us create more inclusive opportunities and make squash accessible to more people across Wales.
Finally, a huge thank you must go to the players, coaches, volunteers and supporters who made the day possible – particularly those who travelled considerable distances to join us.
The Welsh Wheelchair Open continues to grow, and we look forward to building on another successful event as we develop wheelchair squash in Wales and beyond.
