Scheffers, Whiley, Lapthorne win Atlanta titles

World No. 3 Andy Lapthorne secured the outstanding result of the day in the main draw singles finals, beating the USA’s world No. 1 and defending champion David Wagner to lift the quad singles title.

Maikel Scheffers claimed the men’s singles title, while Jordanne Whiley and Andy Lapthorne secured a British double in the women’s singles and quad singles as the Atlanta Open, the latest ITF 1 Series event on the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour, drew to a close on Saturday (10 May).

World No. 3 Lapthorne secured the outstanding result of the day in the main draw singles finals, beating the USA’s world No. 1 and defending champion David Wagner to lift the quad singles title.

This year’s final could not have been more different to the title decider in 2013, when Wagner beat Lapthorne 6-0, 6-0. Saturday’s contest looked like it might also go the way of defending champion Wagner, but Britain's Lapthorne dug deep to prevail in an exciting climax after having much the better of a final set tiebreak for a 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(1) victory and his second win of the season over Wagner.

World No. 6 Scheffers made it four wins from five matches against Argentina’s world No. 5 Gustavo Fernandez as the second seed sealed the men’s singles title, 7-5, 6-2. The Dutchman’s victory meant that Fernandez finished runner-up in an ITF 1 Series event for the third successive time this season.

Whiley retained the women’s singles title with just her second victory in five matches against American former world No. 10 Kaitlyn Verfuertth. Whiley earned a 6-2, 6-2 win over Verfuerth to end the tournament as the only singles and doubles champion.