The inspirational story of Ilkley Lawn Tennis & Squash Club’s wheelchair tennis tournament winner Shahzad Afzal has had fringe benefits for the club.

Harrogate firm Kirbys Solicitors were so taken by the champion’s tale that they decided to sponsor the tournament.

Afzal, who won the mixed singles and doubles events, was paralysed from the chest down ten years ago following a motorbike accident at the age of 26.

Within a year, he had battled against his disability to win the paraplegic division of the table tennis Inter-Spinal Unit Games in May 2004, having only come out of hospital the previous December.

That win not only improved his confidence but inspired him to enter wheelchair tennis, as before he had been reluctant to go out alone and was scared of crossing the road following his accident.

Afzal said: “I have found that sport provides a brilliant way of meeting different people and is a positive way of overcoming a disability.”

Amanda Lee, partner and private client specialist at Kirbys, said hearing about the courage and determination of players like Afzal was an inspiration to everyone and was reason enough for Kirbys to sponsor this year’s wheelchair event at Ilkley.

She said: “The Ilkley wheelchair tennis tournament attracts talented players from across the country, not just Yorkshire, and forms part of the Tennis Foundation Wheelchair Tennis Development Series, which is now in its third year.

“The aim of the series is to provide players with opportunities for all-year-round competitive play before they step up to the international ITF NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour. Those at the top of the leaderboard also qualify for the National Championships.”

Alison Gray, partner and family law specialist, added: “Kirbys are delighted to be part of such a fantastic sporting event and it really is an honour to have been involved with the Ilkley club this year and hopefully in the future.”

Afzal, from Burnley, showed his class by beating the 2012 Women’s Wheelchair Tennis Development Series champion and fellow Lancastrian Helen Bond 4-0, 4-0 in the final, following on from a 5-3, 4-1 victory against newcomer Jeff Gosling.

Afzal also joined forces with Martin Seed, beating Gosling and Bond in an exciting doubles final 5-4 (7-5), 4-1.

Alan Cutts, Ilkley Lawn Tennis & Squash Club’s referee for the event, said: “We were very pleased to be able to host a Tennis Foundation Wheelchair Tennis Development Series event at the club. The standard was very high.

“It was fantastic to meet all the players who are simply some of the most inspirational people I have ever met.”