Ms Grace, 27, a nurse and midwife, is also preparing to soon marry the love of her life Chris Mazengarb, who has never left her side since the accident which left her with a severe spinal injury two days before Christmas in 2022.

The wedding on Chris’s grandparents’ Opossum Bay property was postponed a year because of the accident at Derby when she “applied the brakes too hard, flipped and did a scorpion” over the handlebars.

She hopes to sit on the lap of her father Steve as he uses his electric wheelchair to glide them down the aisle but stand for the ceremony which the couple say will be a “massive party, a big celebration”.

To say she has been an inspiration to family, friends and strangers is an understatement.

But Ms Grace says being introduced to wheelchair tennis as she underwent six weeks’ rehabilitation at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in Melbourne – and the support from the Australian and Tasmanian tennis community and particularly Hobart coach Alyssa Hibberd – has been transformational.

“Playing wheelchair tennis has become a source of joy and a way for me to work towards my goals,” Ms Grace said.

“It provides me with a welcome break from dwelling on the challenges I frequently encounter and has also helped me to gain more strength and independence.

“You’re told you can’t do a lot of things, but with wheelchair tennis and playing sports, it’s empowering. You can move freely. Even though there are physical components, it’s still something that I can do, and that’s what’s helped given me the drive to keep pushing in rehab and everything that I do.

“With my injury, my upper body isn’t affected, it’s mainly my waist down so just being able to use my upper body and all the muscles that I still retained after my accident-has just been so nice.”

After playing weekly tennis sessions during rehabilitation she has been training twice a week in Hobart under the expert guidance of Ms Hibberd, also a nurse, and will play an exhibition match at the Hobart International in January.

She also will volunteer at the championships.

“Alyssa has probably changed my whole aspect on recovery and my life, playing tennis has helped me recover so much, not just physically but also mentally.

“The way that she coached me has been incredibly supportive and encouraging. She has not only helped me become a better tennis player but have also boosted my confidence in all areas of my life.

“I feel empowered and motivated after every session with her and look forward to our sessions. I am truly grateful she is my coach.

“My ultimate goal is to return to as normal life as can be. I’m working to get my independence.”

Ms Grace, who’s working five days a week and driving again using hand controls, credits her recovery to the many health professionals, family and friends whose unwavering support has spurred her on.

She says she was lucky two of Chris’s friends who were riding when she had the accident were ambulance officers and acted quickly to prevent any further spinal damage before paramedics arrived.

Ms Grace had spinal surgery in Hobart before transferring to the Austin Hospital.

After the accident, she also had her father Steve’s approach to life to guide her.

“It was very challenging, but I had Chris with me the whole time.

“Because of the support I transitioned fairly easy to using a wheelchair, my dad’s in a wheelchair as well.

“He’s got MS and uses an electric wheelchair.

“I’ve just never heard him complain once to be honest.

“He’s a super happy person. He just continues to live his life even though he’s faced with a lot of challenges.”

Before February last year she had never picked up a tennis racquet but Tennis Australia wheelchair coach, Greg Crump introduced her and others with similar injuries to wheelchair tennis.

“Tennis is such a mind game, when you’re playing all you’re thinking about is your next move and where your opponent is, it gives you a break from everything else happening in your life”

Ms Grace played in an international competition in Sydney in September and with Ms Hibberd watching on she won her first match.

“I was lucky. It was good because I obviously I got to play against other people in wheelchairs and they did a camp before we played so there were other female wheelchair tennis players as well and they taught us things like how to change our wheelchair wheels,” she said.

“It was nice just talking to other people, that they didn’t all necessarily have spinal cord injury, but it’s good to be able to connect with people that meet the same challenges every day.”

She plans to compete in more national and international competitions next year.

In addition to her tennis sessions, she has regular physio sessions and strength and conditioning coaching at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.

“I am so lucky from all the support I have been given from the Tasmanian community, I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”

susan.bailey@news.com.au