Andrew Lapthorne has become the third British player - and the first for over 10 years - to occupy the world No 1 quad doubles wheelchair tennis ranking after this week's world rankings were published on Monday by the International Tennis Federation.
Last week Lapthorne paired up with Peter Norfolk to become the first all-British pairing to win a Grand Slam wheelchair tennis doubles title when they won the quad doubles at the Australian Open. Lapthorne and Norfolk defeated the American top seeds and defending champions Nick Taylor and David Wagner 6-3, 6-3.
The result gave 20-year-old Lapthorne, who was making his Grand Slam debut in Melbourne, enough points to jump from No. 4 in the world rankings and replace Wagner in the top spot. Meanwhile, with Norfolk already defending points for finishing runner-up in the same event in 2010, his net gain in points for winning his first Grand Slam doubles title has resulted in him moving up one place to No. 5.
Norfolk retains his world No. 2 quad singles ranking after finishing runner-up to Wagner in Melbourne and Lapthorne moves ever closer to the world's top five.
While Lapthorne and Norfolk flying home to Britain this week, Jamie Burdekin bids to continue the success for Britain's quad players in Australia when he contests the Sydney International Open, an ITF 1 Series event on the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour, which starts on Wednesday.
Burdekin was runner-up in the quad singles at the ITF 3 Series Melbourne Open at Albert Reserve Tennis Centre, which ended on Sunday. Burdekin's opening round-robin match against South Africa's Lucas Sithole proved decisive in denying him the title as Sithole edged to a 6-7, 6-2, 7-6 victory.
The former world No 5 and Beijing Paralympic quad doubles bronze medallist alongside Norfolk went on to win two of his remaining three matches without dropping a game and lost just two games in the other match. However, with Sithole remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament it was he who landed the spoils.
Burdekin is joined at this week's Sydney International Open by 18-year-old British No 2 Jordanne Whiley, who contests the women's singles and doubles after also making her Grand Slam debut along with Lapthorne at the Australian Open.
Lapthorne and Norfolk lift Australian Open doubles title
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