Whiley retains Aussie Open doubles title

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Ickenham’s Jordanne Whiley celebrated her fifth successive wheelchair tennis Grand Slam crown on Friday when she and Japan’s Yui Kamiji retained their Australian Open women’s doubles title in thrilling fashion.

In a gruelling encounter, they came from a set down to defeat second seeds Jiske Griffioen and Aniek van Koot of the Netherlands 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Whiley and Kamiji lost their opening service game and, although they did claw it back, a second break proved enough for the Dutch pair to take the opener.

Late in the second set, the top seeds broke to take it 6-4 and force a tense decider. They fell 1-3 behind but won six out of the next eight games to clinch victory in three hours and 21 minutes.

Last year, Whiley and Kamiji completed the calendar year Grand Slam, winning all four events, and are now a quarter of the way to repeating it.

Whiley, 22, said: “I’m really delighted to win such a tough match, Jiske and Aniek gave us a great game.

“It’s very pleasing to come back after such a successful year and still be at the top of our game.”

Quad doubles title winner Andy Lapthorne, of Eastcote, ended his quad singles campaign on Friday.

Having lost the first two round-robin singles matches, the 24-year-old couldn’t progress but did beat his doubles partner – and world number one – David Wagner 6-3, 7-5.

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