Olsson, Buis and Schroder claim Bolton titles

“I hope that I can continue this line as a player and keep growing and getting better.”

Sweden’s Stefan Olsson and Dutch player Marjolein Buis won their first wheelchair tennis titles of 2017 in Bolton, Great Britain from 21-25 February, whilst the Netherlands’ Sam Schroder claimed his second title of the year.

World No.7 Olsson returned to the men’s circuit after his wife gave birth to their first child Vincenzo last month to claim his first title since October 2016, when he won the Swedish Open, following a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Japan’s Takuya Miki in the final.

“I have not been practicing that much, so I am super stoked to be able to do this,” said Olsson. “I have been trying out some new stuff and it has been working really well this week. I have just stepped up all week.

“He (his son Vincenzo) was due on 3 March, so this tournament was not originally in my plans. But I really miss my son now and I am ready to go home.”

Olsson also won the doubles title together with South Africa’s Evans Maripa after beating Spain’s Daniel Caverzaschi and Dutchman Maikel Scheffers 6-3, 6-1 in the final.

World No.4 Buis defeated Great Britain’s Lucy Shuker 6-2, 6-4 in the women’s singles final, sealing her first title since she won Roland Garros in 2016. Both finalists later joined forces to win the doubles title.

“It feels great because this year did not start really well at the Australian Open,” she said. “It is good to be back and win two tournaments with the doubles. It is very good for my confidence and I am going to take that with me to the next tournaments.”

Another Dutch player won the quads singles, with world No.9 Sam Schroder taking the title after beating Israel’s Shraga Weinberg 6-4, 6-2 in the final. Together they also claimed the doubles title.

“I feel really good after winning this. Shraga (Weinberg) is a tough opponent,” said Schroder, who won his second title in Great Britain in consecutive weeks. “I am also really glad that I got into the top 9 now after winning Preston, that is a really big thing for me.

“I hope that I can continue this line as a player and keep growing and getting better. I have got some minor surgery in a couple of weeks so I will have a little break after that. And then it will be World Team Cup.”

Full story can be found on the International Tennis Federation’s website.