Australian Open: Shingo Kunieda eyes Grand Slam record

As a new decade of Grand Slam wheelchair tennis dawns, a share of history and another significant career landmark beckons for Shingo Kunieda as Japan’s world No.1 eyes his tenth Australian Open title.

Ten years ago, Kunieda claimed his fourth men’s singles title at Melbourne Park to start the last decade. 

As he prepares to face Nicolas Peifer of France in his opening match this year, he does so two years on from his latest singles crown at the Australian Open and with a combined total of 43 Grand Slam singles and doubles title in his remarkable career.

Victory in Melbourne in 2020 would see Kunieda equal the all-time record of Grand Slam wheelchair tennis titles currently held by Esther Vergeer, who won a combined 44 singles and doubles crowns at the majors during her career. Kunieda is one of three former Australian Open champions in this year’s field and the other two – reigning champion Gustavo Fernandez and 2016 champion Gordon Reid – meet each other in the first round this year.

Meanwhile, last week’s Melbourne Open champion and four-time NEC Masters champion Joachim Gerard opens his bid for a first Grand Slam singles title with a contest against Australian wild card Ben Weekes. 

Two-time US Open champion Alfie Hewett meets Stephane Houdet as Hewett looks to make it back-to-back Grand Slam titles and both players seek a first victory at Melbourne Park.

DYLAN ALCOTT TARGETS FURTHER GLORY

Australia’s superstar reigning Paralympic quad singles champion Dylan Alcott would undoubtedly love to kickstart his season with victory at Melbourne Park as he seeks a sixth successive Australian Open singles title.

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Alcott’s bid to complete the calendar year Grand Slam in 2019 came unstuck at the US Open as he endured his only singles match loss of the season in the title decider against Brit Andy Lapthorne.

With this year’s Australian Open taking place a week later than last year and last year’s ranking points having therefore already dropped off in this week’s rankings, Lapthorne begins his latest title charge at Melbourne Park as world No. 1 in quad singles for the very first time in his career. 

The traditional format for the quad singles event at the Australian Open, whereby the four players face each other in round-robin competition before the top two advance to the final promises plenty of intrigue. 

Lapthorne faces his doubles partner and world No. 3 David Wagner in his opening match which means that Alcott’s first rival will be fellow Aussie Heath Davidson.

The Australian Open starts on 29 January and finishes on 1 February.