Wheelchair events surge towards finals

Yui Kamiji and Shingo Kunieda could make it a Japanese double in the wheelchair singles tournaments in Paris.

Nicolas Peifer, Stephane Houdet, Gustavo Fernandez, Shingo Kunieda, Roland Garros 2018, Double Messieurs Tennis Fauteuil, Premier Tour©Corinne Dubreuil / FFT
 - Alex Sharp

Six-time Roland-Garros champion Shingo Kunieda will vie for the title once again having booked his place in the final to take on No.2 seed Gustavo Fernandez.

The Japanese world No.3, who last ruled in Paris in 2015, swept aside Great Britain’s Gordon Reid 6-2 6-0 to reach the final.

2016 champion Fernandez prevailed in an enthralling 6-1 6-7(4) 6-3 battle with home charge Stephane Houdet on Court 7 for a chance to reclaim the trophy.

Houdet gained revenge in the men’s doubles semi-finals. Defending champions Houdet and Nicolas Peifer will hope to add to their Australian Open crown, having navigated past Kunieda/Fernandez 4-6 6-3 13-11.

The French duo will face countryman Frederic Cattaneo alongside Stefan Olsson in the trophy showdown, having ousted the British partnership of Reid with world No.1 Alfie Hewitt in straight sets.

Over to the women’s draw and five-time Grand Slam champion Yui Kamiji edged into the Roland-Garros final.



The reigning champion claimed the honours in a 6-3 7-6(8) victory over Aniek van Koot to book a meeting with No.2 seed Diede de Groot.

Australian Open winner de Groot booked her final ticket with a 6-3 6-1 scoreline with Germany’s Sabine Ellerbrock.

In the doubles, Dutch duo de Groot and van Koot then put in a perfect display to triumph 6-0 6-0 facing Charlotte Famin and Kgothatso.

Their reward is a silverware shootout against the reigning Roland-Garros champions Marjolein Buis & Kamiji, who fought back from 2-5 down in the second set to complete a 6-4 7-6(1) passage past Germans Ellerbrock & Katharina Kruger.