Lucy Shuker Reaches Wimbledon Wheelchair Doubles Final

Britain’s Lucy Shuker and Daniela di Toro of Australia battled hard before securing a place in Sunday’s women’s wheelchair doubles final at Wimbledon.

The pair beat France’s Florence Alix-Gravellier and Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-3.

They will meet the strong Dutch pair Esther Vergeer and Sharon Walraven in Sunday’s decider.

They defeated their compatriot Aniek van Koot and Annick Sevenans of Belgium 6-0 6-3.

Shuker and di Toro, who lost to Vergeer and Korie Homan in the final of last year’s inaugural competition, held their nerve after a tense match which included a 20-minute break for repairs to Griffioen’s wheelchair.

They trailed 4-2 in the first set before winning the next three games but both Shuker and Di Toro then lost their serves while serving for the set and Griffioen and the recently married Alix-Gravellier capitalised to take the set to a tie-break.

After missing their earlier chances for the set, Shuker and Di Toro edged ahead in the tie-break and closed it out to lead.

Griffioen and Alix-Gravellier came back into the match in the second set, going 4-0 up but with the Dutchwoman serving for the set at 5-2 and 15-40 down, she needed work done on the footplate of her chair.

The break affected Griffioen’s concentration, and on the resumption she lost her serve but redeemed herself with a winner on the Di Toro serve in the next game to break her and level the match.

The pairs exchanged breaks early in the third set but Griffioen served two double faults in the seventh game to put Shuker and Di Toro 4-3 up. Shuker then held to put the pressure on the Alix-Gravellier serve.

The Frenchwoman netted at 15-30 to give last year’s beaten finalists two match points and Shuker sealed the win with a delightful smash.

“We made hard work of the first two sets but then in the third I made a conscious effort to move better and push more and see the ball and not get caught and it worked,” Shuker told BBC Sport afterwards.

“We’ve prepared well and we know we will have to play well against Esther and Sharon in the final if we are to have any chance but I’m looking forward to it.”

Vergeer and Walraven, who lost out in the doubles final at Roland Garros last month, were always in control of their semi-final, winning the first 10 games of the match with Walraven showing a delicate touch at the net.

Sevenans and van Koot finally got onto the board but it was not long before Vergeer and Walraven wrapped up the victory.

“I’m pleased with the first set and a half – we were very solid and controlled it and it was a good feeling,” said Vergeer.

“In the last couple of games we stopped moving and they started to play more persistently but overall I am happy.

“We are still getting to know each other as a pairing but every time we play we are learning more and that is good.”