Kunieda not far from Paralympic three-peat

“I cannot think of anything except the gold in the singles.”

With one year to go until the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, there is one particular name to follow in wheelchair tennis.

Shingo Kunieda has dominated the previous two Games in the men’s singles event, and one year from Monday (7 September), the Japanese player will hit the courts and go for a three-peat.

After competing in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012, Kunieda’s name is all too familiar in the wheelchair tennis scene. It has been a brilliant 2015 for the current world No. 1, who has won two singles and two doubles Grand Slams so far this year.

Kunieda has won 28 singles and doubles Grand Slams in his career, however, winning a gold medal is at the top of his list.

“The Paralympics is the biggest tournament as a wheelchair tennis player,” said the 31-year-old.

“To win the gold is the most important thing in my career. I am very excited. Time goes so fast and it is only one year away now.”

After winning back-to-back Paralympic singles gold medals in London 2012, Kunieda wants to maintain his crown and win a third successive singles gold medal.

“I cannot think of anything except the gold in the singles,” he said.

Three years ago at London 2012, the Japanese star beat France’s Stephane Houdet in the final 6-4 6-2. Kunieda went through the whole of the singles competition without dropping a set and only lost 14 games out of 12 sets.

“Winning is more important than losing a set,” Kunieda said. “All the time, I’m trying to focus on each point, which enabled me not lose a set in London.”

Kunieda missed out on a successive gold medal in the doubles as the Japanese pairing of Satoshi Saida and himself were beaten by Frenchmen Houdet and Michael Jeremiasz. It was the first time that Kunieda failed to win a gold medal in the doubles after taking the title at Athens and Beijing. But he is hoping to rectify that in a year’s time.

“Winning both singles and doubles is something I am aiming for at Rio, definitely,” Kunieda said.

However, winning both Paralympic wheelchair tennis titles will not be easy. The battle in the rankings - behind Kunieda - is extremely close, and the gap may become even tighter when the Games come around next September.

“Everybody has been improving their level of tennis and I have to prepare myself for whomever I will play against,” Kunieda said.

Next year will be huge for Kunieda and wheelchair tennis. The BNP Paribas World Team Cup will be held in Kunieda’s home nation for the first time. Plus, there will be wheelchair tennis singles matches at Wimbledon.

“Next year will be an amazing year for me,” he said. “For the first time there are singles at Wimbledon and for first time the World Team Cup is in Japan. I want to play stronger than ever and win all these tournaments.”

Tickets for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games are now on sale for Brazilian residents.