Australian open: Gordon Reid grabs his second doubles title

SCOTTISH wheelchair tennis player Gordon Reid completed his series of three tournaments in Australia the way he started them, by collecting his second doubles title of the year on Sunday at the Melbourne Open, where he narrowly missed out on also winning his second singles title of 2013.

Helensburgh’s British No 1, who recently moved up one place to a new career best men’s singles world ranking of No 8 after winning the Adelaide Open – his first event of the year – beat both Korea’s Sam-Ju Kim and Australia’s Adam Kellerman for the second time this season to reach the men’s singles semi-finals in Melbourne.

Fourth seed Reid then claimed his latest victory over a higher-ranked player when beating Argentine world No 5 and second seed Gustavo Fernandez 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-1 to book his place in the final against world No 6 and defending champion Michael Jeremiasz of France. However, Reid had to be content with runners-up honours after Jeremiasz clinched a closely-fought final 6-3, 6-3.

But Reid left Australia on a winning note after partnering Dutchman Maikel Scheffers to a third men’s doubles title in four tournaments together. After reaching the quarter-finals of the Sydney International a week earlier, the top seeds eased past Australia’s Henry de Cure and Jerry Markoja 6-0, 6-1 to earn a place in the final in Melbourne and went on to clinch the title after defeating second seeds Eliphas Maripa, of South Africa, and Australian Ben Weekes 6-2, 6-4.

“It’s great to finish a pretty successful few weeks in Australia on a high and to bounce back and win our third title together in four tournaments after bowing out in the quarters in Sydney,” said Reid.