Local Nottinghamshire player David Phillipson produced one of two upsets on Friday’s third day of the Nottingham Indoor Wheelchair Tennis Tournament when the British No. 3 defeated world No. 7 Michael Jeremiasz of France for the first time in his career in the men’s singles quarter-finals at Nottingham Tennis Centre.
Bingham’s Phillipson completed a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 win over third seed Jeremiasz to reach the semi-finals of the Nottingham Indoor for the first time. He will play British No. 1 and world No. 4 Gordon Reid for a place in Sunday’s final after second seed and 2011 Nottingham Indoor champion Reid won his all-British quarter-final against British No. 3 Marc McCarroll 6-1, 6-1.
“I’m delighted with the win today. I was playing well on the first two days and playing well in practice and today I felt like I was in a practice session, so I’m really happy. My slice and my forehand were working well. It’s the first time I’ve beaten Michael and on the last few occasions we’ve gone to three sets I’ve been a break up in the final set, so it’s nice to finish the job today.”
The other men’s semi-final will see Dutch top seed Maikel Scheffers take on French fourth seed Nicolas Peifer after Scheffers and Peifer both beat fellow countrymen. World No. 3 and defending champion Scheffers fought back from dropping the opening set of his match against fifth seed Ronald Vink to prevail 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 while Peifer beat his London 2012 silver medal winning-doubles partner and sixth seed Frederic Cattaneo.
After Phillipson’s win over Jeremiasz, British No. 2 Lucy Shuker also completed an upset when she beat Dutch world No. 5 and third seed Marjolein Buis in the women’s singles quarter-finals.
Buis came from behind to win a second set tie-break, but world No. 8 Shuker, the 2008 Nottingham Indoor champion, held on for a 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3 victory.
“I’m very happy with today’s performance, it’s one of my best of the year and my first of the season over a world top five ranked player,” said Shuker, who will now play German top seed and world No. 2 Sabine Ellerbrock. “It’s come at a good time and give me confidence going into the semi-finals and as I head towards next month’s NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters in California."
Ellerbrock, who won the Nottingham Indoor title in 2011, came from 2-0 down in the second set of her quarter-final against British No. 3 Louise Hunt to complete a 6-2, 6-3 win.
There will be two Brits in Saturday’s women’s semi-finals after fourth seed Jordanne Whiley beat fellow Brit Lauren Jones 6-1, 6-2. Whiley now faces Dutch defending champion and second seed Jiske Griffioen after Griffioen took just 40 minutes to beat Frenchwoman Emile Chene 6-0, 6-0.
Saturday’s all-British quad singles final will see defending champion and top seed Andy Lapthorne face second seed Antony Cotterill. World No. 3 Lapthorne won his semi-final against fellow Brit Adam Field 6-1, 6-3, but Cotterill had to battle hard in a thrilling conclusion to his semi-final, eventually defeating Italian fourth seed Antonio Raffaele 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(3) after being 5-3 down in the final set.
Organised by the Tennis Foundation, Nottingham Indoor is an ITF 1 Series event on the NEC 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.
Play will begin at 10.00am on Saturday’s penultimate day of play, which features the quad singles and doubles finals, the women’s doubles final and the men’s and women’s singles semi-finals.
Please visit http://www.disabilitytennis.org.uk/ for more information.