Wimbledon: Wheelchair final beckons for British pairing

Published on 08/07/2012 01:30

Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley are the first all-British wheelchair tennis women’s pair to reach a Wimbledon final.

The duo are through after 
winning yesterday’s semi-final clash against the No.2 seeds, Annick Sevenans of Belgium and Sharon Walraven from the 
Netherlands.

After being 5-2 down in the first, they fought back to take it to a tie-break which they won and were too 
strong for their opponents in the second, winning the contest 7-6(5), 6-3.

“It’s a pretty incredible feeling right now, I cannot wait for the final on Sunday,” said Whiley, 20. “We had a frustrating loss last week at the French Open and 
to put that out of our 
systems and reach the final at Wimbledon shows how far we’ve come as a partnership.”

Whiley, from Halesowen, West Midlands, who laughingly admits that on the tennis tour the other players call her “Princess Smurf”, revealed recently: “Apparently, I act a bit like a princess, and the smurf part is due to my lack of height.”

Shuker, who reached the final in 2009 and 2010 while playing 
with Australian Daniela di Toro, added: “It’s my third final at Wimbledon but to reach it with a fellow Brit in Paralympic year is extra-special.

Shuker, from Somerset, is currently one of the highest ranking woman in the sport in Britain following a motorbike accident in 2001 that left her paralysed from the chest down.

“We were a bit tense to begin with but both started hitting well and we’re here to win our first Grand Slam title in front of a home crowd.”

Shuker and Whiley will face Jiske Griffioen and Aniek Van Koot in tomorrow’s final.

The Dutch pair caused an upset by claiming a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win against top seeds and compatriots Esther Vergeer and Marjolein Buis.