Jordanne Whiley got her final Paralympic campaign off to the perfect start as she eased into the second round of the women’s singles in the wheelchair tennis at the Ariake Tennis Park.
The two-time Paralympic bronze medallist is set to call time on her tennis career and while she does not have an exact end point in mind, she knows that Paris 2024 is beyond her.
With that in mind, Whiley is eager to earn a first
Paralympic medal in singles and looked in fine form as she saw off Angelica Bernal of Colombia 6-0, 6-3 in her opening match.
She said: “I’m happy to finally be here because it’s been a long time coming.
“This is going to be my last Paralympics, I’ll probably be retiring at some point after. So this is giving it everything and having no regrets.
“My son (Jackson) is going to start school next year and my dad is sick so I can’t really put pressure on my mum to look after my son. So I feel it’s time. My career has been really long and really successful so I just feel now is the right time.
“I know this is my last Paralympics and my last chance to be on the singles podium. You can see it as pressure or see it as go for it and leave it all out there with no regrets.
“If that doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. I just want to be here, enjoy the moment and play my best tennis so that when I look back I can say I did everything.”
It was a busy day of action for ParalympicsGB, with Whiley’s bronze medal doubles partner from London and Rio, Lucy Shuker, also impressing with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Tunisia’s Busra Un.
In the men’s singles, Alfie Hewett was not at his best but was still too strong for Poland’s Kamil Fabisiak as he won 6-1, 6-2.
He said: “To get on court for my first match is something I’ve been looking forward to for a while now. It’s been quite a long build-up, a little bit tense coming into the final few days and I was just desperate to play.
“There’s still lots to work on and improve. I was nowhere near my best but as a first match goes, I’m content.”
He will be joined in the third round by Gordon Reid, who saw off South Africa’s Leon Els 6-2, 6-0, and is relishing coming into the competition as an underdog for a medal.
He said: “I think it's a bad idea for anyone to write me off. Obviously being here in these matches and having won those big medal matches before, it gives me the confidence to do it again.”
In the quad singles there were contrasting fortunes for doubles pair Andy Lapthorne and Antony Cotterrill.
Lapthorne was too strong for Canada’s Robert Shaw in a 6-3, 6-3 success as he started his bid to add to the silver medal he won in this event in Rio.
Cotterill, meanwhile, was beaten 6-1, 6-0 by Australia’s Heath Davidson and will now focus his attention on his doubles campaign with Lapthorne.
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