Two-time defending champion Andy Lapthorne faces Australia’s Dylan Alcott in Saturday’s quad singles final at the Nottingham Indoor Wheelchair Tennis Tournament after beating fellow Brit Jamie Burdekin on Friday’s third day of play.
US Open winner and world No. 2 Lapthorne eased into the decider after Burdekin retired through illness after losing the first set of their semi-final 6-2.
“It’s not the way you like to progress, but I’m focusing on the final now and trying to get a bid result heading into the Masters next week,” said Lapthorne
World No. 4 Alcott beat South African second seed Lucas Sithole 6-3, 6-2 to set up a repeat of July’s British Open final at Nottingham Tennis Centre, when the former Paralympic wheelchair basketball gold medallist overcame Lapthorne to win his first Super Series crown.
“Hopefully I can come up with the same result on Saturday,” said 23-year-old Alcott.
The two singles finalists will also do battle in the doubles decider, with Lapthorne teaming up with Burdekin and Alcott partnering Brit Antony Cotterill.
With Alcott joining Lapthorne and Sithole at the year-end NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters in London next week, the Australian is looking to build momentum after 10 weeks on the training court.
“I’m a lot fitter and stronger than I’ve ever been, so I hope to convert that into results,” Alcott said.
Men’s top seed and reigning champion Gordon Reid faces Belgium’s Joachim Gerard in Saturday’s semi-finals after getting the better of fellow Brit Marc McCarroll 6-4, 6-1.
“I’m playing the way I want in patches, so I’m really looking for more consistency in the semis.” said world No. 3 Reid.
Former Nottingham Indoor champion Gerard overcame Michael Jeremiasz 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 to book a meeting with 2011 and 2013 winner Reid.
Former world No. 2 Stefan Olsson is the last remaining unseeded player in the competition after fighting back to beat French fifth seed Nicolas Peifer 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Olsson, who represented Sweden in ice sledge hockey at the Sochi Winter Paralymps earlier this year, takes on Tom Egberink after the world No. 10 ranked Dutchman also upset second seed Gustavo Fernandez 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
World No. 2 Jiske Griffioen moved to within two matches of what would be a successful women’s singles title defence in the East Midlands without dropping a game, beating Kaitlyn Verfuerth of the United States to set up a semi-final meeting with South African third seed Kgothatso Montjane.
Griffioen was the last remaining women’s semi-finalist to be decided. Saturday’s other semi-final sees British No. 1 and world No. 6 Jordanne Whiley take on Germany fourth seed Katharina Kruger.
Whiley will also be fighting it out for the doubles crown in Nottingham, partnering her 2012 London Paralympic bronze medal-winning teammate Lucy Shuker against second seeds Montjane and Verfuerth. Top seeds Shuker and Whiley are the defending champions.
Organised by the Tennis Foundation, the Nottingham Indoor is anand ITF 1 Series event on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour and is held at Nottingham Tennis Centre. The tournament is supported by Nottingham City Council and entry is free to all spectators. For more information please visit www.nottinghamindoor.org.uk/.
Tickets for the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters start at just £10, with children going free, and can be purchased via the tournament website: http://www.wheelchairtennismasters.com/.