Taunton’s Lucy Shuker has continued her unbeaten run in the Women’s doubles at the ITF PTR Wheelchair Championships that dates back to 2009 after having taken the title for a fifth consecutive year.
Shuker partnered fellow Brit Jordanne Whiley and the duo dropped just three games en route to the final after registering wins over Marianne Page and Jessica Sporte 6-0, 6-0 in the quarter-finals and Katherine Stuteville and Elizabeth Williams 6-1, 6-2 in the semi-finals.
The pair faced Shelby Baron and Emma Kaiser in a close final. A strong start from Shuker and Whiley saw them take the first set 6-0, but their American opponents struck back in the second set 6-3 taking it to a deciding set. However, in a great show of character, Shuker and Whiley recovered to win the match 6-1 and take the title at Hilton Head, South Carolina.
In 2009 and 2010, Shuker and Whiley teamed up to win the event, proving they have a winning formula when playing together. Shuker then won the 2011 title alongside British number three Louise Hunt and when playing with Germany’s Katharina Kruger she took the title once again in 2012.
Shuker, the world number seven, also reached the finals of the Women’s singles. In an all-British final top seed Shuker was thwarted by her doubles partner and second seed Whiley, who took the match 6-2, 7-5. Victory for Shuker would have meant a fourth singles title in five years at the event.
Click Here for more information on the PTR Wheelchair Championships at Hilton Head, South Carolina.
By Harry Lund