Shuker leads British charge in France
Britain's Lucy Shuker earned her best win of 2010 on Wednesday when she beat world No 6 Aniek van Koot of the Netherlands in three sets in her opening women's singles match at the French Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships in Antony near Paris.
Shuker's victory came on a largely successful day for British players as Adam Field and John Parfitt also progressed in the quad singles.
After starting the third Super Series event of the 2010 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour without a seeding, world No 13 Shuker defeated third seed van Koot 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 and goes on to face sixth seed Katharina Kruger of Germany in the quarter-finals.
"Although I lost the first set I felt I was playing OK and just kept concentrating on the things I've been working on back home." said Shuker. "I went 5-4 up in the third and then she saved three match points in the next game, so I'm delighted I came through. After a couple of tough tournaments in Asia last month I was at a bit of a low ebb, but I've had some great support from members of my coaching team in Taunton and support team from the Tennis Foundation and it's great to be out on court enjoying my tennis again."
While British No 2 Jordanne Whiley also had a tough draw and won just one game in her opening women's singles match against world No 7 Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands, both Shuker and Whiley progressed to the women's doubles semi-finals comfortably as they and their respective partners dropped just one game apiece in their first round matches.
Shuker, who is building up to next week's women's wheelchair doubles event at The Championships, Wimbledon, and Frenchwoman Christine Schoenn will play Dutch second seeds Griffioen and Sharon Walraven in the last four, with Whiley and Kruger set to face top sees Daniela di Toro of Australia and van Koot.
In the first round of the quad singles, Field and Parfitt both secured 6-0, 6-1 victories against French opponents, Field now progressing to a contest against Canadian world No 5 Sarah Hunter on Thursday, while Parfitt takes on Dutch fourth seed Dorrie Timmermans. After a first round bye, British sixth seed Andrew Lapthorne will play Italy's Marco Innocenti.
Lapthorne and Parfitt are also through to the quarter-finals of the quad doubles, having led Field and India's Harry Boniface Prabhu 5-0 when illness forced Field to retire. Lapthorne and Parfitt will now play second seeds Johan Andersson of Sweden and Hunter.