ITF Ranking (7/22/13)

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 2nd August 2013

ITF Ranking (7/22/13)

epa03387968 Esther Vergeer from the Netherlands celebrates winning gold following her win in the women's wheelchair tennis final at Eton Manor inside the olympic park during the London 2012 Paralympic Games in London, Britain, 07 September 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

This year’s field will look a bit different, with 10 newcomers entered in the tournament. The most notable name not entered in the competition is six-time US Open Wheelchair Competition women’s singles champion Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands. Vergeer retired after claiming the gold medal at the Paralympic Games last year in London with a 10-year winning streak. She ended her career with 470 consecutive wins, with her last loss coming in January 2003. Vergeer’s retirement means that for the first time since the inception of the US Open Wheelchair Competition in 2005, there will be a new women’s champion.

On the men’s side, world No. 1 Shingo Kunieda from Japan will look to extend his reign as the men’s champion for a fifth consecutive time. Kunieda last lost in 2007 in the men’s singles competition. The title was not up for grabs in 2008 and 2012 due to the scheduling of the Paralympic Games.

The United States will be represented in quad singles and doubles by the three-time Paralympic Quad doubles gold medalists David Wagner (Chula Vista, Calif.) and Nick Taylor (Wichita, Kan.). Wagner is the defending US Open quad singles champion and will be looking to win his third consecutive US Open quad singles title. In doubles, Wagner and Taylor will look to put their names on the doubles trophy for a fifth time and remain the only team ever to hoist the trophy.