London 2012 medallists Jordanne Whiley, Lucy Shuker and Andy Lapthorne will compete in the nation's capital next week for the first time since last year's Paralympic Games, when a host of star players will contest the British Wheelchair Tennis Championships at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.
The Paralympic medallists will also be inspiring the next generation of players as the Tennis Foundation National Development Series Finals run alongside the National Championships from 28 November to 1 December.
The Championships will be the first competitive outing for Gordon Reid and Whiley since the two British No. 1s shared in the men's and women's titles at the ITF Wheelchair Doubles Masters in California and both players will bid to add to their collection of domestic titles after becoming the youngest ever British men's and women's singles champions in 2007.
Whiley has become National champion four times since 2007 and her main opposition for the women's singles title this year is likely to come from Shuker, the player she partnered to win the bronze medal in the women's doubles at London 2012. Shuker, currently world ranked just one place behind Whiley, is a two-time National champion and will be aiming to win the title for the first time since 2009.
Reid's historic win in 2007 brought him his only National men's singles title to date and the Scot will start a warm favourite this time as he bids to fend off opposition from British No.2 Marc McCarroll and 2008 National champion and current British No. 3 David Phillipson.
Lapthorne, who partnered the now-retired former National champion Peter Norfolk to win silver in the quad doubles at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, has also been crowned National quad singles champion, winning the title in 2010. The Londoner's opposition this year will include fellow world top 10 ranked player Antony Cotterill and three-time National champion and Beijing 2008 quad doubles bronze medallist Jamie Burdekin.
Alongside the British Championships the inaugural Tennis Foundation National Development Series Finals will be contested by developing players who earned their qualification by accumulating points in the eight Summer Series tournaments held across the country between April and August this year.
They will include Keith Thom and Steve Metcalfe, who were first and second in the inaugural Development Series in 2012, which was then a straight points race across the season. This is the first time that players have had to qualify for a National Finals event and the entries will also include Shahzad Afzal, who has won two Development Series tournaments this year.
"This is an exciting year for the British Championships as it's the first time that we've held the event at the National Tennis Centre at this time of year and in this format," said Geraint Richards, the Tennis Foundation's Head of Disability Player Performance. "It's been another fantastic year for the players on our Performance Programme and having the British Championships towards the end of the season gives them another focal point and gives us all the chance to celebrate their successes throughout the year.
"An important part of the Championships is to give developing players the chance to compete alongside and watch some of the country's and the world's best in action, while also providing an appropriate level of competition. The very popular calendar of Development Series events allows for that and demonstrates the competitive pathway and opportunities that are available for players of all abilities."
If you would like to attend the event or find out more, please email disabilitytennis@tennisfoundation.org.uk.
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