Britain’s Andy Lapthorne has been living the American dream when it comes to success on the tennis court recently.
It’s a great feeling getting Grand Slam number seven and I’m over the moon to lift another trophy. Andy Lapthorne
Fresh from doing the double in St Louis, winning both the quad singles and doubles titles in the final Super Series of the year, he’s just added the 2017 US Open quad doubles title to that list.
An achievement that means the World number two now has seven Grand Slam titles to his name.
And he’s not finished yet.
By claiming a straight sets victory over Bryan Barten in his final round-robin match in the singles event at Flushing Meadows he could potentially be on his way to making it an eighth.
Together they are a formidable force on the doubles court
A winning combination
Partnering the USA’s David Wagner, Lapthorne rounded off day 13 in New York in style, triumphing in straight sets over Dylan Alcott and Bryan Barten 7-5, 6-2 in the quads doubles final.
Lapthorne said: “It’s a great feeling getting Grand Slam number seven and I’m over the moon to lift another trophy.
“It wasn’t the greatest match I’ve ever played but it’s a final and a win’s a win.”
Having also won the US Open USTA Wheelchair Tennis Championships together only a week ago, and at number one and two in the world, the pair are a formidable force when they team up on court together and Lapthorne puts that down to one thing.
He said: “We just combine well. My strengths cover David’s weaknesses and it’s the same the other way round.”
It was a close opening set, the GB-USA duo finally taking it 7-5, leaving them only one set away from the title.
In the second set Lapthorne and Wagner got off to the best start going 2-0 up.
Alcott and Barten then got their first game of the set on the board before the eventual winners went on a three game run to go 5-1 up and only one game away from becoming US Open champions.
Before the match was over however, Alcott and Barten broke but failed to consolidate allowing Lapthorne and Wagner to take the second set, match and title – Lapthorne’s first in doubles at Flushing Meadows, having previously won the singles event in 2014.
Lapthorne could also lift the singles title later today
Potential to do the double
Earlier in the day Britain’s top quads player booked his place in the singles final after winning his final round-robin match against Barten 7-5. 6-2.
And waiting for him there will be a familiar face, World number one Wagner.
The round-robin, which sees the two players who finish top go head-to-head in the final, ended in a gripping three-way tie between Lapthorne, Wagner and Australia’s Alcott, all three having won two of their matches.
So the number of sets lost by each of them decided it – the British number one and Wagner dropping only two sets compared to Alcott’s three, seeing them progress through and meaning Lapthorne is still on track to do the double at the final Grand Slam of the year.
Speaking about his upcoming singles final he said: “It would be great to win but David is a great champion.
“I’m looking forward to a big match.”
Further Reading
The men play for Wimbledon’s pineapple
They make their appearances over the final weekend of The Championships and are highly prized - the five Wimbledon Trophies, one of which proudly displays an unlikely pineapple on the top - but, sadly, will not be on show this year.
Serbian Prime Minister, Gomez and Tipsarevic enter the debate
The fall out of the Adria Tour continues as many struggle to find someone to lay the blame on. In the main that someone is Novak Djokovic who led the campaign for this mini circuit and as it has been repeatedly said, his intentions were good and it had the backing of...
Watson joins Progress Tour Women’s Championships field
Heather Watson has accepted a wildcard and will compete alongside GB Fed Cup teammates Harriet Dart and Katie Boulter at next month’s £30,000 Progress Tour Women’s Championships at the National Tennis Centre.
Wimbledon’s green grass of home
The courts at Wimbledon are lush and green but absent are the world’s best players, who should be completing the first round of matches today had The Championships not been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s the ‘doughnut’ versus the ‘rat’
Nick Kyrgios and Boris Becker have got themselves embroiled in a major bust-up over Alexander Zverev’s recent escapade, namely caught on video partying after the cancellation of the Adria Tour which left a number of players and staff testing positive for the Covid-19...
