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Wheelchair tennis comeback star Dylan Alcott is the only Australian in contention for a singles title at the APIA Wheelchair Tennis International Sydney, with Australia’s remaining men’s players bowing out in the second round.
Alcott, who plays in the quads classification, is currently atop the table of the round robin competition, having won both his matches against Great Britain’s Jamie Burdekin and Japan’s Takahiro Koga.
In his first major ITF series match since returning to wheelchair tennis after a successful Paralympic career in wheelchair basketball, Alcott has dropped just three games and will play again today to cement himself as tournament winner.
Meanwhile the other Australian men’s singles players Adam Kellerman, Ben Weekes, Keegan Oh-Chee and Anderson Parker were each defeated in their second round clashes to end hopes of an Australian victory at the Sydney tournament.
Kellerman was outplayed two sets to one by number two seed Stephane Houdet of France, unable to back up his first set 7-5 win. Fellow London 2012 team mate Ben Weekes also fell to a highly seeded international, going down to Great Britain’s number four seed, Gordon Reid.
Keegan and Parker both lost in straight sets to complete their Sydney tournament. Oh-Chee lost to Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez 6-0, 6-3 while APC Talent Search athlete, 15-year-old Parker, faced world number one Shingo Kuneida of Japan and was unable to win a game.
It wasn’t all bad for Australia however, with mixed doubles pair Janel Manns and Jason Copp winning the mixed doubles title after their Thai opponents Banjob Suwan and Ratana Techamaneewat withdrew from the final.
By Rebekka Wake
Posted 13/01/2014
