KUNIEDA, VAN KOOT AND WAGNER LIFT NEC MASTERS TITLES

Written by: Staff on 2nd December 2014

KUNIEDA, VAN KOOT AND WAGNER LIFT NEC MASTERS TITLES

epa03390296 Japan's Shingo Kunieda competes against France's Stephane Houdet in the men's Wheelchair Tennis singles final during the London 2012 Paralympic Games in London, Britain, 08 September 2012. EPA/JONATHAN BRADY |

(Courtesy of the ITF and Original Link:

Shingo Kunieda and Aniek van Koot were crowned men’s and women’s singles champions at the 2014 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters on Sunday as the London 2012 gold and silver medallists completed victorious returns to the venue where they won their Paralympic medals two year ago.

David Wagner, the quad singles silver medallist at London 2012, also clinched his seventh NEC Masters quad title on Saturday at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as the American became the second most successful player in NEC Masters history.

Sunday’s final day was sold out in advance and van Koot and Kunieda gave the fans a real treat, with the Dutchwoman becoming NEC Masters champion for the very first time after also being a finalist in both 2011 and 2012.

Van Koot was runner-up to fellow Dutchwoman Jiske Griffioen in 2012 and world No. 2 Griffioen had beaten van Koot 63 61 in the round-robin pool phase of this year’s competition. However, having come from three match points down to win her semifinal against Britain’s Jordanne Whiley, world No. 3 van Koot once again bounced back from a set down for a 36 64 61 victory over Griffioen, who defeated reigning champion and world No. 1 Yui Kamiji of Japan in the semifinals.

“I can’t believe it! Jiske beat me comfortably this week in the round robin by big scores so I wasn’t expecting this at all, I’m over the moon,” said a delighted van Koot.

Aniek Van Koot of Netherlands serves during the women’s wheelchair doubles final match with Marjolein Buis against compatriots Esther Vergeer and Sharon Walraven at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 27 January 2012. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG

“Yesterday I gave it my all and it led me to victory and I learnt from that match just to enjoy it and to keep smiling because when I smile I start to giggle and start to relax, and when I’m relaxed I can play my best tennis. It’s phenomenal to be here. I’ve had a really good time here and it’s a great place for me,”

A typically clinical performance from Kunieda saw him beat French world No. 7 and first-time NEC Masters finalist Nicolas Peifer 61 61 in the men’s singles final, winning both sets in 32 minutes and dropping just the fourth game of either set to claim his third successive NEC Masters title.

“I am very happy to defend my Masters title and to win three years in a row. I prayed that I would play well today so I am very satisfied with this result,” said Kunieda. “The crowd today were really good, there were a lot of Japanese fans and I hope that wheelchair tennis is getting more popular in the UK and next year even more people will come to watch.”

Kunieda’s return to the site of the London 2012 Paralympic Tennis Event in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park saw the 30-year-old win his third NEC Masters title having dropped no more than three games in any of his ten sets of tennis across five matches in five days.

Like van Koot, Wagner also recovered from a straight sets lost out to his fellow finalist during the round-robin phase of the quad singles. Australian world No. 4 and NEC Masters debutant Dylan Alcott beat Wagner 62 62 in their second pool match of the week, but Wagner clinch Saturday’s final with a tense 64 75 victory over Alcott.

“It’s a real honour to be able to represent the United States, USTA and UOC and I just try to play the best tennis I can every time I come on court. It’s an amazing feeling. This is my seventh Masters title and that’s unheard of for us,” said Wagner.

“It means a lot, it’s a dream come true to even have the opportunity to try and win seven of these things let alone actually do it, and having John (Devorss, his coach) here and knowing that my whole family are watching the live stream back home means a lot.”

There was success for Great Britain on the final day when Gordon Reid and Whiley both finished third in the men’s and women’s singles, respectively, while 2013 runner-up Lucas Sithole was also third in the quad singles. Whiley’s third place in the women’s singles came after she beat world No. 1 Kamiji twice during the week and came within a point of beating van Koot in the semifinals.

Topics: Aniek van Koot, NEC Masters, Shingo Kunieda, Tennis, Wheelchair Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

December 2, 2014 at 8:12 am

KUNIEDA, VAN KOOT AND WAGNER LIFT #NECMASTERS TITLES- http://t.co/5O4hp6rwwb #WheelchairTennis #doubles #tennis #ShingoKunieda #AniekvanKoot

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