World Team Cup: GB men reach final as teams equal medal haul

  • Posted: May 18, 2019

Great Britain’s men’s wheelchair tennis team stunned Japan to reach the final of the BNP Paribas World Team Cup.

Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett each won 6-4 7-5, helping them and team-mate Dermot Bailey past the top seeds.

They face France on Saturday and will ensure Britain end the tournament with a record-equalling three medals.

Great Britain’s junior team leave the event with silver after a final defeat to Australia, while the women’s team won bronze against South Africa.

The women’s team of Jordanne Whiley, Mariska Shuker, Louise Hunt and Cornelia Oosthuizen started quickly when Whiley overcame Mariska Venter 6-4 6-1 and progressed when Shuker’s opponent retired injured in the deciding set of their match.

The junior quartet of Dahnon Ward, Gregory Slade, Ben Bartram and Ruby Bishop had their hopes of gold dashed when doubles pairing Bartram and Ward lost 14-12 in the deciding match tie break.

Not since 2012 have Great Britain ended the tournament with three medals and it could have been four but for a 2-1 defeat for the quad team of Andy Lapthorne, Antony Cotterill and James Shaw against South Africa on Friday.

The World Team Cup is the wheelchair tennis equivalent of the Fed Cup and Davis Cup competitions, with teams from 23 nations taking part in the finals in Ramat Hasharon, Israel.

The men’s final between Great Britain and France will see Reid and Hewett face off against Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer, the duo who beat them in the Rio 2016 Paralympic final.

Inspired to try a new sport?

Find out how to get into disability sport with our special guide.

Source link