BRITS GREG SLADE AND LUCY SHUKER AMONG STAR NAMES AND PARALYMPIC MEDALLISTS SET FOR BOLTON INDOOR WHEELCHAIR TENNIS DOUBLE-HEADER
Britain’s Paris 2024 silver medallist Greg Slade and three-time Paralympic medallist Lucy Shuker are among the previous champions and star names in action as the LTA brings international wheelchair tennis back to Bolton Arena for the 11th year from Friday.
Slade and Shuker are among a host of top Brits in action as players from a total of 19 countries vie for men’s, women’s and quad singles and doubles titles between 14 and 23 February.
It’s the fourth year that the ITF 3 and ITF 2 tournaments on the International Tennis Federation’s UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour have been held in successive weeks in Bolton, both tournaments lasting for five days apiece.
Slade left Bolton Arena last year with the ITF 3 quad singles title as well as winning both the ITF 3 and ITF 2 quad doubles titles alongside Andy Lapthorne before the duo went on reach the quad doubles final at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Slade heads the British entry this year in the quad singles and doubles events, for players whose disability affects both lower and upper limbs, with the USA’s multiple Paralympic medallist and former world No.1 David Wagner also among a star-studded entry for both the ITF 3 and ITF 2 events.
Paris 2024 Paralympians Ben Bartram and Dahnon Ward, stars of the LTA’s Beyond The Baseline documentary series in 2023 and 2024, respectively, are among the leading Brits in the men’s singles and doubles draws for both tournaments.
Former multiple Paralympic medallists Maikel Scheffers of the Netherlands and Stephane Houdet of France, both of whom are also former world No.1-ranked players, head the men’s entries for the ITF 3 and ITF 2 tournaments, respectively.
British No.1 Shuker, winner of the women’s singles at both the ITF 3 and the ITF 2 tournaments in 2022, is set to be top seed for both tournaments this year, with fellow Brits Cornelia Oosthuizen, Ruby Bishop and Abbie Breakwell all hoping to upset higher ranked opponents.
Bolton Arena’s Head of Sport Stuart Kay, said: “This year marks Bolton Arena’s 11th year hosting international wheelchair tennis and the fourth year hosting the double header of an ITF3 and ITF2 tennis tournament back-to-back. It’s fantastic to welcome so many talented players from all around the world to our facility. Watching them move at speed and showcase incredible agility as they turn is truly out of this world.
There will be live scoring for both the Bolton Indoor ITF 3 (14-18 February) and the Bolton Indoor ITF 2 (19-23 February) available on LTA channels.
