Kunieda, Vergeer and Norfolk triumph at British Open
 Shingo
Kunieda (JPN), Esther Vergeer (NED) and Peter Norfolk (GBR)
won the men’s, women’s and quad singles titles
respectively at the 19th British Open, the third Super Series
event of the 2008 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour, which ended
on Sunday in Nottingham.
Defending champions Kunieda and Vergeer retained their titles
without dropping a set while Norfolk battled back superbly
to prevent 2007 champion David Wagner (USA) making it a clean
sweep for last year’s winners.
Kunieda cut through the top half of the draw, defeating world
No. 3 Stephane Houdet (FRA) in the semifinals, and then, despite
not feeling well, comfortably accounted for Robin Ammerlaan
(NED) 64 62 in the final. Ammerlaan had defeated surprise
semifinalist Tadeusz Kruszelnicki (POL) in the last four,
the Pole having eliminated world No. 4 Michael Jeremiasz in
the quarterfinals.
Vergeer led the world’s top four players through to
an all- Dutch semifinal line-up and eased past Sharon Walraven
to set up a meeting with Korie Homan, who put in another powerful
display to beat Jiske Griffioen. In the final, Homan missed
an opportunity to go 3-1 ahead in the first set and thereafter
Vergeer dominated to seal her eighth successive British Open
title with a 62 63 victory.
Shraga Weinberg (ISR), the only player to have beaten both
world No 1 quad David Wagner (USA) and world No 2 Norfolk
this season, joined the world’s top three in the semifinals
of the quad singles. However, the former world No 1 found
Norfolk too good for him in the last four, while top seed
Wagner dropped just four games on his way to the final.
Norfolk enjoyed a great start in the final, taking the first
set 6-1 before losing focus and found himself trailing 5-3
in the final set before coming back to win his fourth British
Open title with a thrilling 61 26 76(2) victory.
French second seeds Houdet and Jeremiasz produced a remarkable
performance to defeat Japanese top seeds and defending champions
Kunieda and Satoshi Saida 60 63 in the men’s doubles
final, while Griffioen and Vergeer recovered from a slow start
to beat Homan and Walraven 76(6) 61 in the women’s doubles
final.
The quad doubles final saw top seeds Nick Taylor (USA) and
Wagner retain their title with a 62 57 61 victory over Britons
Jamie Burdekin and Norfolk.
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