First titles secured as Bath Indoor Wheelchair Tennis Tournament gets set for a super Saturday
World number one David Wagner (pictured) claimed another trophy, while Diede de Groot and Britain’s Lucy Shuker successfully defended their women’s doubles title as the 2017 Bath Indoor Wheelchair Tennis Tournament served up more world-class sport on Friday.
And it promises to be a thrilling conclusion to a fantastic week at the University of Bath Sports Training Village on Saturday as Brit Alfie Hewett takes on Wimbledon champion Stefan Olsson in the men’s singles final while the top two seeds – de Groot and Sabine Ellerbrock – contest the women’s final.
Play starts at 10am on the STV’s indoor courts and admission to spectators is free. The men’s final is first up, followed by the women’s before an excellent tournament, organised by the Tennis Foundation, concludes with the men’s doubles final – Evans Maripa and Takashi Sanada against Olsson and Joachim Gerard.
Friday’s finals saw Wagner, from the United States, overcame Rio 2016 Paralympic champion Dylan Alcott 6-1 0-6 6-4 to claim the quad singles title. The women’s doubles crown then went to de Groot and Shuker for a second successive year as they beat Ellerbrock and Marjolein Buis 6-0 6-3.
After his dramatic fightback in Thursday’s quarter-finals, home favourite Hewett enjoyed a relatively comfortable 7-5 6-2 victory over Japan’s Sanada in the semis to set up a mouthwatering meeting with Olsson, who was a 6-7(3) 6-1 6-1 winner over world number one Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina.
Number-one seed de Groot warmed up for the women’s doubles final by booking her place in the singles showpiece with a 6-0 6-3 victory over Dutch compatriot Buis. Her opponent on Saturday will be Germany’s Ellerbrock, who defeated Kgothatso Montjane of South Africa 6-2 7-6(4).
As well as watching Saturday’s finals, members of the public are also invited to try wheelchair tennis in a free session taking place from 11am-1pm. It is open to all ages and abilities, all equipment will be provided and coaches will be on hand to give participants a helping hand.
For more information about tennis at the University of Bath, including details of coaching and court hire, visit www.teambath.com/tennis. For more information on the Tennis Foundation, visit www.tennisfoundation.org.uk.
