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Gordon Reid retains Japan Open Super Series singles title

Gordon Reid made it back-to-back Japan Open Super Series men’s singles wheelchair tennis titles on Saturday when the Rio Paralympic champion defeated world No.3 Shingo Kunieda of Japan 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 in Iizuka. 

Gordon Reid celebrates victory with trophy at Japan Open Super Series

Gordon ends the tournament as singles and doubles champion in the same year in Iizuka for the first time, after partnering fellow Brit Alfie Hewett to win Friday’s men’s doubles final, when Kunieda was again on the opposite side of the net. Gordon also leaves Asia with three titles in three events in two weeks after winning the men’s singles at last week’s Korea Open ITF 1 Series. 

As well as marking another successful tournament for players on the Tennis Foundation’s Wheelchair Tennis World Class Programme, Saturday’s victory means Gordon has now won three career singles titles at Super Series level, the highest tier of standalone wheelchair tennis tournaments outside of the four Grand Slams.

He said:

"It means a lot to me to win the Japan Open for a second year running. Shingo is always a tough opponent and somebody I enjoy sharing the court with, so it was a great moment for me today in front of a fantastic crowd. Taking the title is the perfect end to this tour for me and I’m looking forward to taking this confidence into the rest of the tournaments over the summer." 

Reid reached Saturday’s final after four straight sets wins, including a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Hewett in the second all-Brit Super Series singles semi-final between the two players this season.

Gordon and Alfie claimed their third Super Series men’s doubles title together on Friday without having dropped a set in Iizuka. The top seeds beat the second seeds, Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez and Kunieda, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the final. Gordon is now a two-time Japan Open men’s doubles champion after winning the 2015 title partnering Kunieda.

Former Australian Open and Wimbledon men’s singles champion Reid and reigning Roland Garros singles champion Hewett will now look forward to returning to Paris for the second Grand Slam of 2018 in early June. However, before then they will lead the Great Britain men’s challenge at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup, which takes place in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, from 28 May to 3 June.

For more information about the Tennis Foundation, please, visit Tennis Foundation website, or get in touch via email - info@tennisfoundation.org.uk.

Photo credit: Gordon Reid