MELBOURNE, Australia — Sam Schroder won his fourth consecutive quad wheelchair title at the Australian Open after defeating fellow Dutchman Niels Vink 7-6 (7), 7-5 on Saturday.
Second-ranked Vink went into the match with a 23-12 record against the top-ranked Schroder.
“I think it’s very special for me to once again having won a tournament,” Schroder said. “After the first one, you want the second one. Unbelievable to have won the fourth one. It’s really crazy when I think about it.”
There are three categories in wheelchair tennis — men, women and quads, with each category having singles and doubles tournaments. The quad is the newest division and for players who have substantial loss of function in at least one upper limb. It also may include various other disabilities besides quadriplegia.
In the women’s singles final, Yui Kamiji of Japan beat Dutch player Aniek van Koot 6-2, 6-2. The men’s wheelchair singles final was a rematch of the final from the last two years, with Japan’s Tokito Oda taking on Britain’s Alfie Hewett.
In the junior girls title match, Vitoria Miranda of Brazil recovered from being shut out in the opening set to beat American Sabina Czauz 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4). In the boys final, American Charlie Cooper beat Alexander Lantermann of Belgium 6-2, 6-2.
