Did you notice something different about the Google logo today? That’s because a Google Doodle appeared in its place. The artwork marks the latest Paralympics 2024-themed Doodle, celebrating the start of the Wheelchair Tennis competition at the ongoing Paris Games.
“Ace attitudes and stellar serves. Wheelchair Tennis starts today at Stade Roland-Gaross!,” Google Doodle curators said on Tuesday, September 3.
Wheelchair Tennis has been a part of the Paralympic Games since 1992. The sport requires exceptional skill, agility and strategic thinking.
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The 2024 Games are being held at Stade Roland-Garros, the home of the French Open. Athletes from around the world will compete in singles and doubles events.
Notable wheelchair tennis players include Stéphane Houdet, Diede de Groot and Shingo Kunieda. These stars have consistently dominated the sport, winning multiple Grand Slam and Paralympic titles.
The players, however, weren’t featured in the animated doodle, which was a lighthearted depiction of a wheelchair tennis match between birds. In the GIF, two players compete in a singles game watched by avian fans of the sport, with the ball falling on the referee’s head.
Google previously featured a doodle about the Paralympic archery event.
What is a Google Doodle?
Doodles are fun, interactive changes to the Google logo that celebrate holidays, anniversaries and important historical figures. They can be illustrations, animations or even games related to the specific event or person being honoured.
"The very first Doodle launched as an “out of office” message of sorts when company founders Larry and Sergey went on vacation," the official Google Doodles website states.
It was created in 1998 to celebrate the Burning Man Festival, a counterculture event held annually in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. The doodle featured a simple stick figure drawing that replaced the second “o” in the Google logo with a burning man.
Although it was a one-time occurrence, the doodle paved the way for future artworks. Google has since used its logo to celebrate special occasions and events.