Tennis star Kelly Wren gives back through Special Olympics coaching

The 43-year-old Engadine resident has been quietly amassing trophies in the Australian Tennis Championships for decades, and now she's giving back as a volunteer coach.

Hosted by Sports Inclusion Australia in partnership with Tennis Australia, and run annually alongside the Australian Open in Melbourne, the Australian Tennis Championships is an inclusive tennis tournament for Australians with disability.

Ms Wren has also competed - and won - around the world in Singles and Doubles at the Special Olympics, and coaches children with intellectual impairment and a range of disabilities at Sydney South Special Olympics Club.

"I started playing when I was eight years old, hitting a tennis ball with a plastic table tennis bat. My mum saw my hand-to-eye coordination and made enquiries and I haven't looked back since," Ms Wren told the Leader.

Ms Wren has an intellectual disability and works full-time at Rebel Sport Miranda, where she and her team have pivoted to fulfilling 'click and collect' orders during the COVID-19 lockdown.

"It's a bit eerie," she said. "There's no-one out in the Westfield."

While Ms Wren takes a COVID-induced break from the sport she loves, she speaks fondly of her involvement in the game that has taken her around the world, from Ecuador to Poland, Czech Republic, Sweden, and most recently to Abu Dhabi where she won Gold in Singles and Doubles at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games.

"I like being in the outdoors. I've met a lot of top players like Ash Barty, Sam Stosur, Lleyton Hewitt and many more. I get to travel with the national team overseas and I've been to some very unusual places," Ms Wren said.

"I like experiencing different climates, playing on different court surfaces, looking at different cultures and eating different foods."

Oyster Bay resident Peter Muhlbock, a family friend, said he had watched Ms Wren's competitive streak "come to the fore very early" as she started to compete at both State and National levels.

"Kelly deserves recognition not only for her success on court, but also for her willingness to help others to become better players and strive to achieve despite their disabilities," Mr Muhlbock said.

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