With Wimbledon starting today, four of the players on the Tennis Foundation’s Wheelchair Tennis Performance Programme have rubbed shoulders with 2013 runner-up and six-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and Japan’s No. 1 Kei Nishikori at the announcement of a major three-year agreement between the International Tennis Federation and UNIQLO.
Gordon Reid, Andy Lapthorne, Louise Hunt and Lauren Jones joined UNIQLO Global Ambassadors Djokovic, Nishikori and Japan’s four-time ITF Wheelchair Tennis World Champion Shingo Kunieda at the announcement at Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire, which revealed UNIQLO as the title sponsor of the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour and the year-end Wheelchair Doubles Masters.
The Japanese clothing brand also becomes an international partner of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters, the ITF’s year-end singles championship for the world’s top eight ranked men’s and women’s players and top four ranked quad players, which will be hosted by the Tennis Foundation in 2014, 2015 and 2016 at the newly-opened Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Reid had the chance to hit with Nishikori in front of the assembled media at Stoke Park as both players prepare for their own challenges at Wimbledon, with Reid one of three Brit sets to contest the wheelchair doubles at SW19 on 4th to 6th July.
While Nishikori faces Frenchman Kenny de Schepper in the first round at Wimbledon, Reid and Lapthorne have a French challenge of their own this week, as they are among six Brits set to contest the BNP Paribas Open de France in Paris, the fourth wheelchair tennis Super Series event of the year.
“It’s really exciting that a global brand the size of UNIQLO want to be involved in wheelchair tennis,” said Reid. “With their sponsorship of Shingo over the last few years and now sponsoring the Tour I think it shows that they really want to help wheelchair tennis grow and be a big part of the sport. Hopefully it’s going to be a big boost for the sport.”
Djokovic and Lapthorne are no strangers, having hit together at the 2013 Australian Open. Asked if he had ever tried wheelchair tennis, the Serbian reflected on that meeting last year in Melbourne, which came as three-time Australian Open doubles champion Lapthorne also reached his first Grand Slam singles final.
“I’ve tried once with my friend, there, Andy. We played a few years ago in Melbourne. That’s why I have even more appreciation and respect for what they (wheelchair tennis players) are doing.
“To me as a tennis player, watching Shingo and all the wheelchair tennis players it’s like watching heroes,” added Djokovic. “Their desire, their will to play, the determination, their discipline, just the general positive energy that they bring on the court is tremendous, it is something that is definitely leaving its mark on the sport.”
“To have a brand new sponsor such as a UNIQLO is massive for our sport,” said Lapthorne. “I’ve hit with Djokovic before at a Grand Slam and formed a bit of a friendship with him and that’s raised the profile of the sport a bit, with the videos that have been released online. But now to have Kei Nishikori and Shingo sponsored by UNIQLO as well, and having everyone involved, pulling the same way and trying to get the Tour more publicity, it’s going to be great for all us players.”
Share