Top tennis player Sarah Fortescue smashed her way to a bronze medal for Team GB at the World Blind Games, with help from some Milton Keynes opticians.

Sarah competed in the Games on 21-27 August, coinciding with her 10th anniversary as a tennis player.

To aid Sarah in her performances, Specsavers Milton Keynes sponsored her with a pair of glasses.

The glasses enabled Sarah to play a total of six singles matches and three doubles at the World Blind Games. She won a bronze medal for the singles.

Sarah, who is registered blind/severely sight impaired and lives in Milton Keynes, says: “I had such an amazing time, and am proud of myself for winning a bronze medal in the singles tournament.

“I am so grateful to Specsavers for sponsoring my glasses, and now I get to use them to practise.

“I had normal eyesight until I was 24. That’s when I developed Stargardt’s Syndrome, which is a rare genetic eye disease that happens when fatty material builds up on the macula.”

Visually impaired tennis is amended to suit differing levels of blindness: B4 being for players who are the most sighted, and B1 for players who are totally blind. Sarah plays in the B3 category.

This means that the court is smaller than normal, the ball has small plastic inside to create a rattling sound, and competitors get two bounces of the ball before it needs to be hit to the opponent.

Steve Moore, Specsavers Milton Keynes director, says: “We are proud to sponsor Sarah her glasses. She’s not only represented Team GB but also our community.

“We never want people to be held back because of their eyesight and Sarah proves just that.”

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