Tokyo 2020 Paralympics: Whiley and Shuker claim an historic silver medal
• 3 MINUTE READ
Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley ended their Tokyo 2020 Paralympics with a first women’s doubles silver medal for ParalympicsGB after the gold medal went to Dutch top seeds Diede de Groot and Aniek van Koot 6-0, 6-1.
After winning bronze in London 2012 and Rio 2016, Shuker and Whiley took the eight-time Grand Slam-winning Dutch partnership to four deuces in the second game as they tried to answer an early break of serve. However, De Groot and Van Koot’s power proved difficult to handle.
Shuker and Whiley, the first Brits to earn a place in a Paralympic women’s doubles final, came out with added aggression in the second set, with Whiley serving out the opening game convincingly and the Brits took the second game to five deuces. However, De Groot and Van Koot opened up a 4-1 lead as they broke to love and soon sealed an eighth successive women’s doubles gold medal for the Netherlands.
Speaking after the match, Whiley said: “Coming here I was aiming to get on the podium in singles and to at least get a silver in doubles, so I feel like I’ve hit my targets and I’ve played well, I’ve done it in style so I can look back on these Games fondly.”
With Shuker adding: “I think it’s almost the dream ending, We didn’t quite get the gold, but it’s better than what we’ve got in the past. Coming here, to get gold or silver was the target and we’ve achieved a silver, so you can’t be unhappy with that. You can still dream about the gold medal, but I’m really happy with the silver.”
Gordon Reid claimed ParalympicsGB’s fourth wheelchair tennis medal of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics after overcoming doubles partner Alfie Hewett 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 after two hours and 22 minutes.
The 32nd career meeting between the two Brits saw Reid claim the crucial break towards the end of the opening set after firing down an ace to bring up two set points. However, Hewett fought back in the second set and take initiative with a break for 4-2, which he went on to take with a calmly placed forehand winner from mid-court.
A difficult match for both Brits saw Hewett battle back from 3-0 and 5-2 down in the final set. Then just as it looked like a final set tie-break was on the cards, Reid created his opportunity to take the win and add the bronze medal to his silver in the doubles.
