Blind U.S. tennis player seeks support to compete in Italy and France

Athlete Jessica Gonzalez is fighting for a chance to compete on two of the biggest stages in blind tennis: Italy and France.

Blind Tennis Player Jessica Gonzalez Prepares for International Stage

The 43‑year‑old athlete from California is preparing for international tournaments and a high‑level training camp that could elevate her ranking and expand opportunities for visually impaired athletes across the United States. Her GoFundMe campaign aims to cover the steep travel and training costs that come with competing abroad as a blind athlete.

A Life Built on Determination

Gonzalez’s resilience began long before she picked up a racket. Born four months premature in Stockton, she developed retinopathy of prematurity, a condition that left her blind. Her childhood was marked by instability. Gonzalez spent much of her childhood in foster care after her father’s deportation to Cuba.

“I bounced from foster home to foster home until I was 12,” Gonzalez told ABC 10. “I felt like I wasn’t loved, I wasn’t wanted… just a paycheck for someone else. That was really hard.”

However, her life changed when she joined the Orientation Center for the Blind, where she learned Braille, cooking, cleaning, and independent travel. She later received her first guide dog, Fender.

Education became her next milestone. Gonzalez graduated from the Art Institute of Sacramento with a 3.9 GPA in digital film and video production. She now works as a logistics warehouse trainer for Apple, per The Observer.

How Blind Tennis Works

Blind tennis, also called sound tennis, uses smaller courts, tactile lines, and balls that emit sound. According to the International Blind Tennis Association, the sport began in 1984 when Miyoshi Takei, a blind Japanese student, created the first audible tennis ball. The sport has since spread to nearly 30 countries.

Players compete in categories B1 through B4 based on their level of vision. Gonzalez plays as a B2 athlete, meaning she has limited sight and competes with up to three bounces per shot.

Blind tennis player Jessica Gonzalez Is Rising Quickly Through the Sport

Gonzalez discovered blind tennis in 2023 at Gold River Sports Club in Rancho Cordova. She said from the first swing, she immediately fell in love.

She trained intensively and, within two years, earned a wild card to the 2024 International Blind Tennis Association World Championships in Italy. Gonzalez became the first U.S. woman to compete in the tournament and finished ranked 12th in the world. She later earned a bronze medal in France.

Why She Needs Support

Her GoFundMe campaign, Help a Blind Tennis Player Compete in Italy & France!, outlines the financial challenges of international travel for a blind athlete. The fundraiser covers:

• Airfare from Sacramento to Bologna and return travel from France
•  Lodging for 14 nights
•  Food and daily expenses
• Local and inter‑Europe transportation
• Tournament and camp fees
•  Travel insurance
• A sighted companion to assist with navigation and preparation

The total goal is $12,324 for two weeks of competition and training across Italy and France.

To learn more on how you can support Jessica Gonzalez on her journey, visit the official GoFundMe page.