ITF Awards Players of the Year

Two athletes from the Netherlands have been honoured with the Players of the Year Award in the 2009 International Tennis Federation Wheelchair Tennis Player Awards.

Maikel Scheffers was voted Male Player of the Year, and Korie Homan was voted Female Player of the Year. Both first time winners, the Players Awards are presented once a year to a female and male player on the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour. The award acknowledges fairplay, sportsmanship, on/off court behaviour, ability to make international friendships, support other players and contribution towards the development of the Paralympic Sport on a national and international level.

Scheffers was voted Male Player of the Year after recording 59 percent of the votes cast on the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Website, finishing ahead of 2008 Male Player of the Year Stefan Olsson from Sweden and Stephane Houdet from France.

The award is the latest in a long line of distinctions for Scheffers, who had a tremendous 2009 and ended the season with a career high ranking of number three and his first NEC Singles Masters title.

Homan recorded 44 percent of the votes cast for Female Player of the Year, finishing ahead of compatriot Esther Vergeer and Daniela di Toro from Australia, both former winners of the award, who tied for second place this time.

Homan also had a tremendous season in 2009, winning two NEC Tour titles, with her only losses in singles competition during the year were against number one ranked Vergeer. Homan also partnered Vergeer to win all four Women's Doubles titles at the Grand Slams.