Whiley and Lapthorne on road to Rio with Bolton wins

Hillingdon duo Jordanne Whiley and Andy Lapthorne marked 200 days until the Rio 2016 Paralympics by clinching titles at the Bolton Arena Indoor Wheelchair Tennis Tournament.

Ickenham-based Whiley, the world number four and tournament top seed, beat three fellow top 10 players on her way to retaining the women’s singles title.

It included straight sets wins over Germany’s Katharina Kruger and Dutchwoman Diede de Groot, before she came from 4-2 down in the third set in the final to beat second seed and world number six Marjolein Buis 2-6 6-0 7-6 (7-2).

Whiley said: “The last two times I’ve played Diede and Marjolein I’ve lost, so I was out for revenge a little bit.

“I wanted to prove to myself that I was good enough to challenge them this time.”

Whiley and Buis were due to team up in the women’s doubles final but had to withdraw, with the Dutchwoman feeling the effects of a fall from her chair during the singles final.

Eastcote’s Lapthorne also produced three confident straight sets wins to reach the quad singles final, hitting back from a set down to beat Israel’s former world number one Shraga Weinberg 1-6 6-4 6-0.

“I’ve struggled in Bolton for the last two years and haven’t managed to get over the line, so it’s nice to get the win this time,” said Lapthorne.

“I’ve beaten some good players and am pleased to have won two singles titles quite close together after returning from Australia recently with the Melbourne Open title.”

Whiley’s boyfriend Marc McCarroll came close to celebrating his birthday with a place in the men’s doubles final, but he and fellow Brit David Phillipson were edged out 2-6 6-3 (12-10) in the semi-finals by Tom Egberink and Evans Maripa.