Top Wheelchair Tennis Stars head to Eton Manor

A star line-up of Esther Vergeer, Peter Norfolk and Gordon Reid promise to wow spectators at the test event at Eton Manor on the Olympic Park. 24 Apr 2012
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A picture of an athlete in a wheelchair next to a tennis let.

Jamie Birdekin, member of the GB Wheelchair Tennis team and Paralympic bronze medallist at Beijing 2008 visits Eton Manor.

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"The tournament will be vital in giving the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) the chance to test its operations."

Peter Norfolk, British gold medallist from Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, and Paralympic gold medallist Esther Vergeer from the Netherlands, unbeaten over an incredible 452 singles matches since January 2003, are two of the stars among the entries today confirmed for the Eton Manor Wheelchair Tennis International from 3 to 6 May.

 

Part of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Wheelchair Tennis circuit and the London Prepares series, the official London 2012 test events, the tournament will give players the chance to compete in the London 2012 venue for Wheelchair Tennis ahead of the Paralympic Games.

The world-class line up for the tournament will feature players from around the world competing in all six Paralympic-featured events: men’s and women’s Singles; men’s and women’s Doubles; Quad Singles; and Quad Doubles.

 

In the men’s competition, British No1 Gordon Reid will expect strong competition from Robin Ammerlaan of the Netherlands - the Singles gold medallist in Athens 2004 and silver medallist from Beijing 2008.

 

Esther Vergeer will also be expected to set the standard on behalf of the Netherlands for the women. Vergeer has won Singles gold at the last three Paralympic Games. Britain’s 19 year old No1 Jordanne Whiley will be among those to provide the latest opposition to Vergeer’s unbeaten status in May.

 

The Quad competition features GB stars Peter Norfolk and Andrew Lapthorne. Peter has won the last two Paralympic Singles gold medals. Andrew is the current world number 4 and recently partnered Peter to the Australian Open Quad Doubles title in January. As well as featuring in the Doubles, they will also compete against each other at Eton Manor.

 

The tournament will be vital in giving the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) the chance to test its operations including the athlete and wheelchair movements around the venue, the results and scoring systems, and workforce.

 

The competition lasts for four days and 3,000 tickets have been sold to the public for Saturday 5 May. On the same day four other Olympic venues will be in operation simultaneously as LOCOG test operations with over 70,000 people on the Olympic Park.

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