Great Britain name team for Paris 2024 wheelchair tennis event
Great Britain will jet off to the French capital next month with a six-strong team ahead of a potential gold rush in the Paralympic wheelchair tennis event at Paris 2024.
Newly crowned Wimbledon men’s wheelchair singles champion Alfie Hewett, his doubles partner Gordon Reid, Ben Bartram and Dahnon Ward will contest the men’s singles and doubles draws in the French capital.
Lucy Shuker and Andy Lapthorne, who are both experienced Paralympians and multiple medal winners, will compete in the women’s wheelchair and quad wheelchair draws respectively.
Three-time women’s doubles medallist Shuker is set to make her fifth Paralympic appearance having, alongside the now retired Jordanne Whiley, become the first female player from Great Britain to medal.
Shuker and Whiley won bronze at London 2012 before repeating the feat at Rio 2016 and then upgrading to silver at Tokyo 2020.
“It’s an incredible achievement to have qualified directly for my fifth Paralympic Games and an absolute honour to put on a ParalympicsGB tracksuit and represent my country,” said Shuker.
“I love the excitement that begins with the Olympics and then to see the Paralympics showcase what athletes with all sorts of disabilities can achieve. It’s a time that unites the world and I can’t wait to be a part of it.
“This will be the first Games since London that is taking place so close to home and I can’t wait to have the support of family and friends who will experience the Paralympics for themselves.”
Lapthorne, who claimed a quad singles silver medal at Rio 2016, will compete at a fourth Paralympic Games, which is in stark contrast to Bartram and Ward who will be making their Paralympic debuts.
“I’m so incredibly excited and proud to be going to my first Paralympic Games,” said Bartram. “My interest in wheelchair tennis started with watching Alfie (Hewett) play in Rio.
“Since then, the sport has taken me on an amazing journey and I’m so excited for everything that’s ahead over the coming weeks.
“It’s going to be so special to have family and friends in Paris supporting me and I can’t thank everyone enough for the support that they’ve given me to get to this stage. I can’t wait to get out there and give it my all.”
World No. 1 Hewett, meanwhile, is bidding to complete a career Golden Slam by topping the podium in Paris. By conquering all before in the Wimbledon men’s singles, Hewett has now won the singles and doubles at all four Grand Slams.
Norwich-born Hewett is a three-time Paralympic silver medallist and will be bidding for gold in singles and the doubles alongside Reid, who has four Paralympic medals of his own including singles gold.
Reid defeated Hewett in the men’s wheelchair singles final at Rio 2016 and will be bidding for more glory when the Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event gets underway at Roland Garros on 30 August.