What is the Quad division, and who can play in it?

Q: What is the Quad division, and who can play in it?

Wheelchair tennis has two sport classes: Open and Quad. Quad is for players whose impairment also substantially affects the arms. To be classified Quad you must meet the Open eligibility criteria and: Have a permanent physical disability causing substantial loss of function in one or both upper limbs (judged without aids or prosthetics), such as a neurological deficit at C8 level or above, upper limb amputation, phocomelia, myopathy or muscular dystrophy, or an equivalent functional disability. Have at least one of these: reduced function to serve overhead; reduced function to hit forehands and backhands; reduced function to push a manual wheelchair; or inability to grip the racket without taping or an assistive device. Have at least three affected limbs. Trunk function is considered too: a player with good trunk control needs a greater upper-limb impairment to qualify. Competing: Quad players play the Quad category. Where an event has no Quad draw, they may play Men's or Women's as an on-site alternate or wild card. A Quad player can apply once, in writing, to compete in Men's or Women's instead; the ITF decides within 28 days. If a Quad player can't serve conventionally, the player or another person may drop the ball and let it bounce before it is struck, using the same method for the whole match.

Question

Accepted Answer

Wheelchair tennis has two sport classes: Open and Quad. Quad is for players whose impairment also substantially affects the arms. To be classified Quad you must meet the Open eligibility criteria and:

Have a permanent physical disability causing substantial loss of function in one or both upper limbs (judged without aids or prosthetics), such as a neurological deficit at C8 level or above, upper limb amputation, phocomelia, myopathy or muscular dystrophy, or an equivalent functional disability.
Have at least one of these: reduced function to serve overhead; reduced function to hit forehands and backhands; reduced function to push a manual wheelchair; or inability to grip the racket without taping or an assistive device.
Have at least three affected limbs.

Trunk function is considered too: a player with good trunk control needs a greater upper-limb impairment to qualify.

Competing:

Quad players play the Quad category. Where an event has no Quad draw, they may play Men's or Women's as an on-site alternate or wild card.
A Quad player can apply once, in writing, to compete in Men's or Women's instead; the ITF decides within 28 days.
If a Quad player can't serve conventionally, the player or another person may drop the ball and let it bounce before it is struck, using the same method for the whole match.