Wichita’s Nick Taylor has made the Missouri Valley proud the world over.

Tales of greatness follow some players from the crib or from the time a racquet is first placed in hand. You’ve heard it before; the precocious ball-striking abilities that made jaws drop or eyes bug, the innate gifts that turned impossible to possible, the rough edges going smooth almost instantly. That’s Roger Federer’s story.

It isn’t Nick Taylor’s.

While there’s no doubt that tennis has been etched into this Wichita, Kan. native’s genes since childhood, it’s the incredible overcoming of what else was etched inside that’s made Taylor a world-renowned tennis figure.

Born with arthrogryposis, a rare disease that limits the range of motion in Taylor’s joints and relegates him to movement by electric wheelchair, it makes hitting tennis balls a tricky proposition. Still, that’s what the 27-year-old Taylor does better than most, despite the fact that he literally grips the handle of a tennis racquet backwards.

It’s an unorthodox stroke, but one emblematic of Taylor, who puts full force and focus into his tennis. Those traits were honed by playing against his garage at home for hours upon hours, way past dark each night and bloodied hands because he desperately wanted to make his high school varsity tennis team at Wichita West (he did).

Currently ranked No. 3 in the world in the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) men’s quadriplegic singles, Taylor is still making waves as the most accomplished active player hailing from the USTA Missouri Valley, with the hardware to prove it.

If there’s a wheelchair tournament of any significance being held, it’s a good bet Taylor already has his name engraved on the trophy…and more than once. He’s been ranked No. 1, and holds over 100 tournament titles, including three US Open titles. Taylor is also a three-time World Team Cup champion (the wheelchair equivalent of Davis Cup), and, in 2004, won the doubles gold medal at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece with partner David Wagner (Oro Valley, Ariz.).

Taylor’s exploits have landed him in more countries than a United Nations diplomat, having traveled across the globe to play the ITF Circuit. That’s Taylor’s life when he’s not home working on a master’s degree in sports administration at Wichita State, where he also serves as a volunteer assistant coach for the Shockers’ men’s tennis team.

“It’s incredible to watch Nick play,” said United States World Team Cup coach Dan James. “Watch him and you just see wheelchair tennis as a pure sport. He’s absolutely amazing.”

– Jeff Sikes