Wheelchair tennis: What we've learned ahead of the US Open finals | ITF (2024)

Upsets, three set thrillers and superb shots - it’s fair to say that we’ve been treated to some terrific tennis over the past few days at the US Open.

With the extended draws, spectators have been introduced to some new names as well as being reunited with familiar faces who they’ve seen competing at Flushing Meadows for a few years now.

And with only a few hours to go before finals weekend begins we take a look at some of the things we’ve learned so far at a US Open that has made it’s fair share of history in 2022.

The extension of the draws has been a positive step

Across the board players have praised the step taken to extend the men’s and women’s open draws.

After her 6-2 6-1 semi-final win against compatriot Aniek van Koot, world No.1 Diede de Groot even spoke of how it had helped her mindset having that extra round to play.

“I really enjoyed having that extra match” she said. “Before you were into the quarter-finals straight away it gave you that feeling of pressure and you thought ok this is it, but with that extra match it allowed you to relax a bit more into the competition and that’s what happened to me and I’ve played well ever since.”

Our favourite rivalries in the final promise to be as exciting as ever

We might have had more players in the draw but when it comes to the upcoming singles finals it’s going to be all about those wheelchair tennis rivalries we’ve come to know and love watching on the Grand Slam stage over the years.

Japan’s Shingo Kunieda, who is one win away from becoming the first men’s open player to complete the calendar Grand Slam, will take on Britain’s Alfie Hewett and it will be the pair's third meeting in a major final this year.

On both occasions Kunieda has come out on top.

At the Australian Open he came out hitting freely and playing the sort of tennis we have never seen before from him, and when asked where the level of tennis he produced in that final came from even Kunieda couldn’t answer that question.

More recently at this year's Wimbledon the pair played a marathon of a match which saw Kunieda come from 5-2 down in the deciding set and 5-3 down in the match tie-break that followed to win his first singles title at SW19.

And these previous head-to-heads is what is making Kunieda’s familiar foe Hewett, “genuinely excited” for what might come in Sunday’s singles final.

“We’ve had some unbelievable matches this year and I think the fact we’re meeting again in a Grand Slam final for the third time this year shows that we are consistently playing to a high level," Hewett said.

“Whenever we play each other it’s very tight and it comes down to the smallest of margins so I’m going to have to produce the same levels of tennis that I have already have this week, probably even better.”

The Dutch continue to dominate at the highest level - but can it continue?

A glimpse at the order of play on semi-finals day and you’d see that four out of the six singles semi-finals featured a player from the Netherlands.

The country of course has a rich history in wheelchair tennis, particularly in the women’s open division, and there has already been much talk of how they’ve developed so many top players who are capable of winning titles.

But can this continue?

Niels Vink, who booked his spot in quad division final with a 6-1 6-1 victory over Donald Ramphadi believes it can because “there is such a good atmosphere in the Dutch team at the minute”.

His doubles partner, and the player he will face in Sunday’s final, Sam Schroder, echoed this sentiment and added that while players like him keep having continued and visible success, it will hopefully encourage more people to take up the sport in the Netherlands and work their way up the rankings.

"You’ll find more and more players that are willing and able to put in the hours and work like me and Niels do," said Schroder. "That’s what will keep it going the way it is now.”

Compatriot De Groot also believes there is the potential for continuing Dutch success but it will rely on taking steps to keep ahead of the game.

“Other countries are catching up with us now - you can tell by what’s happening in the juniors event here,” she said. “There used to be a lot of Dutch juniors and now I’d say we have slightly less.

“Throughout the decades how we’ve built things is the younger generations have learnt from the older generations so they get to see how it’s done and how much work you have to put into it to be successful.

"So yeah I think it’s a really good thing that we have going but we can’t just rest on what we have now we also need to think about the future to keep going the way we are, the future is as important as the present.”

Do we need to invent the “Diede Slam”?

Like Kunieda in the men’s division, world No.1 in the women’s division de Groot is now just one win away from completing the calendar Grand Slam this year, having claimed the singles titles in Melbourne, Paris and London already this year.

Should she come out on top against Yui Kamiji in Sunday’s final and lift the trophy it would mean she would be following up the Golden Slam, which she achieved in 2021 by winning singles titles at all four majors plus the Paralympic Games, with the calendar Slam.

After all, if Serena Williams can have the “Serena Slam”, why can’t the wheelchair tennis tour have the “Diede Slam” if De Groot triumphs in Sunday’s final?

“Maybe it could be called the “Shing-iede Slam,” she said laughing. “Cause Shingo and me we’re both going for the calendar Slam at the same time and we’re both doing really well at the minute and just enjoying every moment.

“But let’s not think too far ahead yet. The final on Sunday is going to be tough, you can never underestimate Yui even if it’s a practice match, she’s always on top of her game and she knows exactly what she needs to do to get the win in a final so I’m going to need to be playing my best tennis from the start.”