At just seventeen years old, Charlie Cooper has made a name for himself as a remarkable young talent in the world of wheelchair tennis. If you had told him a decade ago that he would be not only a professional athlete but also the No. 1 junior wheelchair player in the United States, he may have called you crazy. Yet, through sheer determination and resilience, Charlie has done just that, achieving incredible milestones that have solidified his place among the top players in the world.

Born and raised in La Quinta, California, Charlie has been local to the beauty and culture of the Coachella Valley all of his life. With “Tennis Paradise” at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden just miles away from his home, he has been fortunate enough to be surrounded by some of the best players, coaches and resources in all of the sport. However, his path to tennis was anything but straightforward, as he was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth, a condition affecting his spine and motion.

Despite his condition, Charlie was able to walk and run with the help of leg braces from the age of two, a development that delighted and surprised both his doctors and family. However, traditional sports that demanded agility and quick movements felt out of reach, and for years, it seemed that any athletic aspirations that Charlie had were limited. This remained the belief until he was ten years old, when an encounter at a guitar shop changed everything. 

While shopping for a new instrument, Charlie met a boy with the same diagnosis as him. As they and their mothers chatted, the conversation turned to wheelchair tennis and an upcoming clinic that was taking place at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Encouraged by his mom, Charlie decided to give the sport a try, joining his new friend later that week for his first session.

From that moment, Charlie was captivated by the sport, as he discovered not only a way to participate, but also a path to excel. Within his first year on the court, he began to realize just how unlimited his potential was and chose to transition from traditional clinics to sanctioned tournament play. During this time, he achieved notable success in several events, including a significant title win at the Indian Wells Wheelchair Championships in his first tournament of 2019. By the age of eleven, he reached as high as No. 3 in the national rankings for junior wheelchair tennis.

Since he began playing competitively, Charlie has amassed championships and tested his skill all across the world at some of the most prestigious and renowned tournaments. While successful in prior years, the past two have proved to be the most fruitful thus far for the young phenom, as he has truly broken onto the scene and established himself as a force for any opponent. 

In 2023, Charlie took home two ITF Junior titles in Canada, a silver medal in the 2023 BNP Paribas World Team Cup, and reached the quarterfinals in both singles and doubles at Indian Wells. As he entered 2024, Charlie had two main goals that he was looking to achieve, and wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way. 

“Earlier this year, I set two goals in my notes app on my phone and they were to win the US Open and win the BNP Paribas World Team Cup,” Charlie mentioned. “Three years ago, I had the honor of being one of eight athletes to compete in the first US Open Wheelchair Junior Boys Championships. It was a whole new experience being in the same locker room as players like Nick Kyrgios and warming up next to Taylor Fritz. I knew that it would take a lot of dedication and time to win a championship like this and over the last three years, I have put in a lot of work to be able to achieve this goal.”

With determination and focus, Charlie checked off his first goal when he helped secure the BNP Paribas World Team Cup title alongside three American teammates that May. This victory ended a seven-year drought for teams from the states, with the last win having come in 2017. Charlie played a crucial role in his team’s success, winning all four of his matches in straight sets throughout the tournament.

“It was so special to compete as a team and wearing the USA on my back makes it even greater,” Charlie commented. “It’s not too often you get to compete as a team in tennis and this is what makes the event so special. It shows that the USTA and US team are putting in amazing work for us as athletes to begin on a path to success and it starts through this tournament.”

The second step of his plan would prove even more challenging, as Charlie faced the world’s top wheelchair talent, this time on home soil. Throughout the week he spent in New York at the US Open, Charlie showed the world exactly what type of player he is, and how dangerous he can be on court.  On Thursday of the event, Charlie delivered two historic upsets, defeating the No. 1 seed in both singles and doubles. Partnering with Tomas Majetic, the all-American duo triumphed over Maximilian Taucher and Ruben Harris in the doubles semifinals, advancing them to the championship match the next day. Similarly, Charlie outplayed Taucher in singles, setting up a final showdown against the No. 2 seed, Ivar van Rijt. While he fell short in the doubles final, Charlie was unstoppable in singles, capturing his first-ever US Open championship with a score of 7-6 (2), 6-3. This victory made him the first American to win a title in either singles or doubles in the boys’ wheelchair event since its inception three years ago.

“To be the first American to win this singles championship feels special and it’s an honor,” said Charlie. “This history is only the beginning and I hope this inspires many American boys to put in the same work to win this championship and keep it in the states. I remember winning match point with a packed crowd pulling for the American, and the feeling when I won was unbeatable. It felt as though a mark of success for not just me, but everyone who has inspired, guided, and helped my life even before tennis.”

Charlie’s incredible 2024 campaign rolled along in June when he claimed the boys’ title at the Sportable River City Slam. He then secured the boys’ title at the Vancouver International Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in July, followed by both the boys’ and men’s titles at the Kamloops Legacy Wheelchair Tennis Tournament later that month. In July, he also achieved his long-elusive first men’s singles title in Canada. In September, Charlie claimed the boys’ title at the JTCC Championships in Maryland and also triumphed in Sacramento, winning the men’s title at the USTA Northern California Section Wheelchair Championships later that month.

Beyond being an exceptional player, Charlie is a remarkable individual that is mature, respectful, and extremely kind for his age. Surrounded by an amazing support system of family and friends, Charlie has been raised with the mindset that he can do anything in life, regardless of his situation. 

“Growing up, I have always been motivated by my parents to believe that I can do anything even with a disability,” Charlie added. “I never would feel bad for myself and try to leave myself out of activities as I felt the same as just anyone. I was blessed to have amazing friends who looked at me for being “Charlie” and the disability was out of the picture. In this generation, this is something rare to come around and many kids with disabilities may have a hard time in school and socially.” 

Despite having every reason to feel resentment about his circumstances, especially when he was younger and constantly in and out of surgeries, he has always maintained an incredibly positive outlook, managing to see the good in any situation and remain true to his faith. 

“At seven years old, I had to have a life changing surgery. During this time at such a young age, I was in and out of operations and many were just not working,” shared Charlie. “The message I want to spread and inspire from this is that the biggest way to find purpose in life, is to trust God. Growing up for my family and I, there were times where our faith had been tested. Looking back at it now, winning a US Open after all these surgeries and mountains coming at me seems like a fairytale.”

For Charlie, the joy of tennis extends beyond his own successes, as his greatest satisfaction comes from inspiring others. On the court, Charlie relishes the responsibility and ownership that tennis demands, believing that the effort you invest directly influences your success. He enjoys the thrill of competing alone on the court, with fans cheering him on amid intense match situations.

“The most rewarding part of playing tennis is not only winning tournaments like a Sectionals or the US Open, but it is to have others who may have a disability come up to you and say, “Wow, you inspire me.” Growing up, most kids with disabilities do not have a dream because nothing seems realistic for them since you can’t run and do things like “normal kids.” I had this same desire for a dream and purpose in life and that was to be able to compete in a sport professionally,” Charlie shared. “So for my story to inspire a younger generation who is on the search for a purpose, that is the most rewarding part of playing wheelchair tennis.”

When advising others interested in wheelchair tennis, Charlie emphasizes the profound benefits it offers. 

“Some advice I have for others wanting to try adaptive sports is to try wheelchair tennis,” Charlie stated. “The sport is growing so much and can change your life and ways of thinking from “I wish I could compete on a highschool team,” all the way to competing on Louis Armstrong Stadium and at the Paralympics. For those who need help finding friends to talk to and interact with, wheelchair tennis can be that answer for you. The environment at a tournament or group session is something that is so special. Everyone has a disability that may be the same as yours, and the freedom you can feel is unlike no other.” 

Now a solidified top junior wheelchair player in the world, Charlie currently sits as No. 3 in the junior singles ranks. Among all male wheelchair players, Charlie holds a ranking of No. 4 in the United States and No. 65 in the world, per the ITF. He is also the No. 1 junior player in the United States. Even with all these accomplishments and accolades in such a short period of time, Charlie continues to raise the bar for himself, and is still hungry for more. 

“From here, my goals are to be the number one player in the world and win a gold medal at the Paralympics,” stated Charlie. “In the future, I have goals of hopefully working to help other players my age now and be an inspiration and coach to success. As of now, I have Shingo Kunieda at the USTA National Campus who is the greatest player yet. To have someone to inspire me and teach me from a pro wheelchair perspective is something that any aspiring wheelchair tennis player needs and I hope to be that person in the future.”