Branka Pupovac (born 3 February 1972) is a Paralympic

wheelchair tennis Wheelchair tennis is one of the forms of tennis adapted for wheelchair users. The size of the court, net height and rackets are the same, but there are two major differences from pedestrian tennis: athletes use specially designed wheelchairs, a ...

competitor from Australia.

Personal

Pupovac was born on 3 March 1972 in Wollongong, New South Wales. She is from Sydney, New South Wales and attended the

University of Wollongong The University of Wollongong (abbreviated as UOW) is an Australian public research university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney. As of 2017, the university had an enrolment of ...

where she earned a

Bachelor of Commerce A Bachelor of Commerce (abbreviated BComm or BCom; also, ''baccalaureates commercii'') is an undergraduate degree in business, usually awarded in Canada, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Ireland, New Zealand, Ghana, South Africa, Myanmar, ...

. In 2000, she was studying to become a counsellor. Pupovac is an incomplete paraplegic, as a result of an accident while riding on the back of a friend's motorcycle when she was twenty. Her friend crossed a set of double lines in an effort to overtake a car. She was wearing a helmet at the time, but still had significant damage done to her neck and spinal cord. Pupovac, alongside

Karni Liddell Karni Liddell (born 1 March 1979) is a Paralympic swimming competitor from Australia. Personal Liddell was born on 1 March 1979 in Rockhampton, Queensland. Information on past Australian Paralympic Games results and profiles on Australian athl ...

, Hamish MacDonald and

Charmaine Dalli Charmaine may refer to: *Charmaine, a character in '' What Price Glory?'' * "Charmaine" (song), the theme song for the 1926 adaptation of ''What Price Glory'' * "Charmaine" (rap song), a 2006 song by Plan B *Charmaine (musician), a Christian pop sin ...

, was one of eighteen Australian Paralympians photographed by

Emma Hack Emma Hack (born 1972) is an Australian visual artist known for her photographs of painted naked human bodies that visually merge with a patterned background wall, producing a chameleon-like camouflage effect. Her technique was developed in the ea ...

for a nude calendar. The photograph of her in the calendar features her topless and covered in brown and gold body paint.

Tennis

Pupovac first competed internationally in wheelchair tennis in 1996. In 1996, she was chosen as a member of the Australian Paralympic's Wheelchair tennis Development Squad. She was later chosen to be a member of Australia's World Team Cup. At the 1997 U.S. Open of Wheelchair Tennis, Branka was swept in straight sets by

Chantal Vandierendonck Chantal Vandierendonck (born 31 January 1965) is a Dutch former professional wheelchair tennis player. Vandierendonck won various wheelchair tennis championships held by the International Tennis Federation and multiple Wheelchair tennis at the Su ...

during the first round. Vandierendonck beat her 6–2, and 6–1. In 1998, she was ranked 14th in the world for women's singles and doubles tennis. While preparing for the 2000 Summer Paralympics, she would train up to six days a week. In 1998, she made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. The same year, at the US Open, she won the consolation draw. In 1998, she also made the finals of the British Open consolation draw. In August 1999, she had her highest single's international ranking when she was ranked ninth in the world. In 2000, her competitive sport participation was sponsored by the Motor Accidents Authority in New South Wales. In 2000, she finished second at the Australian Open and French Open in the consolidation draw. She was a 1998 and 2000 Motor Accidents Authority Paralympian. She won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Games in the Women's Doubles event, with

Daniela Di Toro Daniela "Danni" Di Toro (born 16 October 1974) is an Australian wheelchair tennis and table tennis player. Di Toro was the 2010 French Open doubles champion and has also been the Masters double champion. In singles, Di Toro is the former world ...

as her partner. In October 2000, she had her highest doubles international ranking when she was ranked 12th. She competed in her final international competition in 2004, at the World Team Cup in New Zealand.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pupovac, Branka 1972 births Living people Australian female tennis players Australian wheelchair tennis players Paralympic wheelchair tennis players for Australia Paralympic medalists in wheelchair tennis Paralympic silver medalists for Australia Wheelchair tennis players at the 2000 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2000 Summer Paralympics People with paraplegia University of Wollongong alumni Tennis players from New South Wales Sportswomen from New South Wales