Gordon Reid, Jordanne Whiley and Andy Lapthorne, 2014 finalists at the Nottingham Indoor Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, got their singles challenges underway in style on the second day of this year’s tournament at Nottingham Tennis Centre.
Fourth seed Reid, who is aiming for his fourth Nottingham Indoor men’s title, eased past Frederic Cattaneo of France 6-2, 6-1 to set up a quarter-final against 2012 champion Maikel Scheffers of the Netherlands. Reigning champion Reid and 2012 champion Scheffers have met in three of the last four Nottingham Indoor finals.
“It was a good first match for me and great to get out there and get a feel for the courts. It was certainly good preparation for the rest of the tournament and I’m looking forward to what’s next now the first win is under my belt,” said Reid, one of six men’s players and one of 13 players in total in Nottingham who are preparing for the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters in London on 2-6 December.
World No. 4 and US Open champion Whiley and world No.7 Lucy Shuker are on course for a potential all-Brit women’s singles semi-final after both beat fellow Brits in their opening matches. Whiley beat Lauren Jones 6-1, 6-0 to book a quarter-final against Brazil’s Natalia Mayara, with Shuker defeating Val Fisher 6-0, 6-1 ahead of meeting Germany’s Katharina Kruger.
“It’s great to be back in Nottingham and extend my winning run here this season after winning the British Open. Playing a fellow Brit in the first round can sometimes be tricky, but I always felt in control today and I’m glad to get the first win out the way and can move on,” said Whiley.
Lapthorne and Jamie Burdekin could yet meet in an all-Brit quad singles final, should second seed Lapthorne come through Friday’s semi-final against Israeli third seed Itay Erenlib after defeating Ymanitu Silva 6-3, 7-5 in his quarter-final.
“I played a good set and a half today before letting him back in, but I’m pleased with the way I closed out the match. Obviously it’s a good feeling to get the first win on the board and feel like I’m properly into the tournament now,” said Lapthorne, who was also runner-up at the British Open in Nottingham in July.
Burdekin faces top seed and British Open champion Lucas Sithole in his semi-final after beating Nottinghamshire local James Shaw 6-2, 6-0.
While Shaw went out of the quad singles, Bingham’s David Phillipson also went out of the men’s singles after the British No.4 slipped to a 6-1, 6-3 loss to top seed and world No.2 Stephane Houdet.
The start of the doubles events saw the all-Brit partnership of Whiley and Louise Hunt join Shuker and South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane in progressing to women’s doubles semi-finals after Whiley and Hunt beat German top seeds Sabine Ellerbrock and Katharina Kruger 7-6(1), 6-4.
Meanwhile, Alfie Hewett is into the men’s doubles quarter-finals with his Japanese partner Takuya Miki after they beat Brit duo Marc McCarroll and David Phillipson.
Third seeds Shaw and Sithole are also into the quad doubles semi-finals after beating their less experienced British opponents Ashley Davis Darren Mitchell 6-1, 6-0.
Organised by the Tennis Foundation, the Nottingham Indoor is an 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.wheelchairtennis.org.uk.
Tickets for the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters start from just £2 for community groups and schools up to a maximum of £15 for the weekend semi-finals and finals. All kids can come along for a quid and there is an Activity Zone full of entertainment for all the family. Tickets can be purchased at www.wheelchairtennismasters.com.
