University of Houston wheelchair tennis standout shares his inspirational story

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- ABC13 first noticed Grayson Fox at a USTA camp for teenage wheelchair tennis players.

He was obviously older and a great player, but what really stood out was his enthusiasm to help younger players enjoy themselves and their sport.

"I love seeing the progression," he said. "It's amazing what they can do."

Fox is amazing, too. He's the No.1 player for a UH wheelchair tennis program that won the national title in 2024, and he's overcome a lot to find his place after the car accident that changed his life.

"My friend slipped on black ice and the car went into a tree sideways, crushed me and my friend, well me," he explained. "My friend actually got out unscathed. Thank you, but I unfortunately got a T4 spinal injury."

Fox admits he was lost after the devastating injury before his mom urged him to try wheelchair lacrosse. That eventually led him to try tennis.

After a rough start he went to a wheelchair tennis tournament and his outlook changed.

"All these people coming from everywhere playing a sport having a good time with smiles on their faces. And that's the part where I was like astonished," he said with a smile. "So many people with smiles like their injury isn't bothering them. That's not a point here because we're here to play tennis. Let's play tennis."

Fox was hooked, and that meant everything to the former high school football player, wrestler and track athlete.

"For a second there, I was like, I'm never going to be able to do this. I'm never gonna touch any sport ever again. I'm like worthless almost to a point," Fox said. "To still be an athlete at a high level is. It's like regaining that confidence and regaining that love for the game that you lost once."

Fox practices and trains with the UH wheelchair tennis team, but often that's not enough. He also works out and plays in tournaments on his own. He told me his goal is to be ranked with the best players in the world. That's all the more remarkable when you understand his T4 spinal cord injury leaves him at a disadvantage against many of the players he competes against.

Fox also finds time to excel in the classroom. He's a mechanical engineering major who dreams of working with an F1 racing team.

"I could still ravel the world," he said. "And share my experience, how I did all this."