SHINGO KUNIEDA REACHES WHEELCHAIR FINAL, GIRON WINS AGAIN AT COLLEGIATE U.S. OPEN BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 5th September 2014

SHINGO KUNIEDA REACHES WHEELCHAIR FINAL, GIRON WINS AGAIN AT COLLEGIATE U.S. OPEN BY RICKY DIMON

epa04040419 Shingo Kunieda of Japan in action against Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina during their Men's Wheelchair final match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 25 January 2014. Kunieda won his seventh Australian Open title. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON |

No. 1 seed Shingo Kunieda booked his spot in the final of the U.S. Open men’s wheelchair singles competition on Friday, but not before a serious fight. Kunieda, a four-time champion of this event, held off France’s Nicolas Peifer 7-5, 7-6(5). The Japanese star will battle for the title against Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina, who upset second-seeded Frenchman Stephane Houdet 7-6(1), 6-1.

Shingo Kunieda of Japan in action against Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina during their Men’s Wheelchair final match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 25 January 2014. Kunieda won his seventh Australian Open title. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON

On the women’s side, each of the top two seeds advanced to the championship match. It will feature No. 1 seed Yui Kamiji of Japan versus second-seeded Aniek Van Koot of the Netherlands. Kamiji was the only semifinalist who was not a Dutchwoman.

Action in the inaugural American Collegiate Invitational also continued on Friday at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. In a rematch of this spring’s NCAA singles championship, Marcos Giron of UCLA overcame Pepperdine’s Alexander Sarkissian 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

“He definitely came out strong at first and didn’t miss any balls,” Giron said of his opponent. “I didn’t think I was completely out of the match and I just slowed down and really thought about what was going on.”

UCLA’s other participant, Clay Thompson, did not fare as well. He went down to Ohio State’s Peter Kobelt 7-6(6), 7-6(2).

The women’s final will pit Jamie Loeb of North Carolina against Virginia’s Julia Elbaba. Loeb defeated Danielle Collins–another Virginia representative–by a 6-3, 6-1 scoreline. Elbaba beat Stanford’s Kristie Ahn 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.

“That was the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of and Kristie had an equal number of supporters out there today,” Elbaba commented. “We both represented the Eastern Section pretty well out there, as well as college tennis. I really want to make the professional U.S. Open next year.”

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Gustavo Fernandez, Marcos Giron, Nicolas Peifer, Shingo Kunieda, Tennis, US Open 2014, Wheelchair Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

September 5, 2014 at 7:19 pm

#SHINGOKUNIEDA REACHES #WHEELCHAIR FINAL, @marcos_giron93 WINS AGAIN AT COLLEGIATE @usopen BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/f8BzDcWk8O #tennis
ITFWheelchair says:

September 5, 2014 at 7:21 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: #SHINGOKUNIEDA REACHES #WHEELCHAIR FINAL, @marcos_giron93 WINS AGAIN AT COLLEGIATE @usopen BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co…
Sunflower_757 says:

September 5, 2014 at 7:49 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: #SHINGOKUNIEDA REACHES #WHEELCHAIR FINAL, @marcos_giron93 WINS AGAIN AT COLLEGIATE @usopen BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co…
RD_Tennistalk says:

September 6, 2014 at 6:48 am

RT @10sBalls_com: #SHINGOKUNIEDA REACHES #WHEELCHAIR FINAL, @marcos_giron93 WINS AGAIN AT COLLEGIATE @usopen BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co…