Ickenham wheelchair tennis star Jordanne Whiley will look to start 2015 with more Grand Slam success when she kicks off her Australian Open campaign today (Wednesday).
The world number five takes on Dutch number two Aniek van Koot in the women’s singles contest.
Whiley will play van Koot for the first time since their women’s singles semi-final at last November’s NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters in London, where Whiley earned a career-best third-place finish.
“I have a tough draw but if I want to be the best I have to beat the best,” said Whiley. “I gave Aniek a tough match at the Masters in November, almost winning, so I’m feeling confident about Wednesday’s match.”
Whiley made history last year when she became the first British tennis player in history to win a calendar year Grand Slam when partnering Yui Kamiji of Japan to win the women’s doubles at all four majors in 2014.
Whiley and Kamiji will begin their quest for a fifth successive Grand Slam doubles title with a semi-final against Germany’s Katharina Kruger and Dutch ace Sharon Walraven.
World number three Andy Lapthorne, from Eastcote, completed his Australian Open preparations by gaining the quad singles title at the Melbourne Open over the weekend.
“When you have the world’s top four players all together in a round-robin, any match is going to be tough, but I’m ready for the challenge,” said Lapthorne, who will play Lucas Sithole and world number one David Wagner in his remaining two round-robin matches. I took the first set against Dylan in the round-robin at the Melbourne Open, so will be looking to build on that on Wednesday with the benefit of a few matches behind me.”
Lapthorne will face Dylan Alcott in the first of his three matches in the round-robin phase of the Australian Open quad singles.
The US Open champion will partner Wagner in the quad doubles final on Thursday as the duo bid to retain their Australian Open title, with Lapthorne aiming to win his fourth Australian Open doubles crown when he and Wagner play Alcott and Sithole.
