Shingo Kunieda shines on home court in Japan

The world’s No. 1 players in men’s, women’s and quads wheelchair tennis - Shingo Kunieda, Diede de Groot and Dylan Alcott – won their respective titles in the latest Super Series tournament, the Japan Open.

Japanese joy

Kunieda won his ninth men’s title at the Japan Open, one more than Australia’s former world No. 1 David Hall, following a hard-fought 7-6 (4), 7-5 victory over France’s 2016 winner and world No. 5 Stephane Houdet.

The victory in Sunday’s final was Kunieda’s first Japan Open title since 2015.

Houdet got his revenge in the men’s doubles, where he and Nicolas Peifer beat home favourites Kunieda and Takashi Sanada 6-3 6-2 in the final; their second Japan Open title in three years.

New champion crowned

Yui Kamiji’s hopes of completing a Japanese double this year came undone against De Groot as the top seed prevailed 6-3, 7-6 (8).

The Dutchwoman ended Kamiji’s unbeaten sequence of six Japan Open titles, adding this victory to her list of Super Series trophies. De Groot also became the first Dutchwoman to triumph in Iizuka since Jiske Griffioen did it in 2011.

The women’s singles world No. 1 joined compatriot Aniek van Koot for the doubles final but could not take the title as they lost to Dutch-USA second seeds Marjolein Buis and Dana Mathewson 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.

Dylan at the double!

Australian Alcott won the quad singles title for the fourth time in five years after being awarded a walkover ahead of his scheduled final against USA’s world No. 2 David Wagner.

In the quad doubles, Alcott and fellow Australian Heath Davidson made it a hat-trick of titles in Iizuka by beating South Korean Kyu-Seung Kim and Japan’s Koji Sugeno 6-1 6-4.

Full results are available on the ITF website.