'It's hard to put into words' – Lapthorne makes history by reaching quad final

  • Posted: Jul 12, 2019
Wimbledon 2019 on the BBC
Event: Wheelchair competitions Venue: All England Club Dates: 11-14 July
Coverage: Watch live on BBC iPlayer, Connected TVs, BBC Sport website and app from Thursday, with Saturday and Sunday finals live from 11:00 on BBC Two.

Two-time Paralympic silver medallist Andy Lapthorne made history as the first Briton to reach a quad wheelchair tennis final at Wimbledon.

The 28-year-old beat American David Wagner 7-5 6-4 as quad wheelchair tennis made its competitive debut at Wimbledon.

He will play his Australian doubles partner Dylan Alcott on Saturday.

But Gordon Reid, Alfie Hewett and Jordanne Whiley all lost their opening singles ties.

Paralympic champion Reid, 27, struggled against Japanese top seed Shingo Kunieda in the men’s wheelchair singles quarter-finals, losing 6-1 6-1.

“It’s hard to put into words really,” said Lapthorne. “This has come after 10 years of build up just to get here and a lot of people have worked really had to get me here today after I hurt my wrist.

“So to come out and play like I did in the first 20 minutes was just surreal, really. From 2-1 down that was probably some of the best tennis I’ve played my whole life.”

Hewett – who Reid beat to gold at Rio 2016 – was beaten 6-1 6-3 by Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez, who has reached the final for the last two consecutive years.

Whiley, returning to Wimbledon for the first time since having her son, lost 6-4 6-1 to Yui Kamiji.

She will team up with Japan’s Kamiji in the women’s doubles, and the pair are aiming for a fifth title together at SW19.

Reid and Hewett will team up in the men’s doubles, having won it for three consecutive years.

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