ITF

ITFWorld // WINTER 2019/20 11 DYLAN ALCOTT SURGED INTO 2019 WITH VISIONS OF EMULATING ROD LAVER – HIS HERO AND FELLOW AUSTRALIAN – AND WINNING A calendar-year Grand Slam across the quad division. But despite heading to September's US Open as the defending champion he fell short of achieving his dreams, although another strikingly successful season was enough to see Alcott crowned quad ITF World Champion. It is the second year in succession that Alcott has been the recipient of the accolade, which was first awarded in 2017, when American David Wagner was the inaugural winner. Melbourne-born Alcott opened his Grand Slam account for 2019 by claiming his fifth successive Australian Open quad singles title by defeating Wagner in the final on Rod Laver Arena. It proved a significant year for the quad division of wheelchair tennis with the introduction of quad singles and doubles events to the competition schedule at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The 29-year-old certainly made the most of this opportunity and triumphed on the clay of Paris and grass of London while only dropping one set across the two tournaments. Victory over Wagner handed Alcott success in the quad final at Roland Garros in June, while his doubles partner Andy Lapthorne of Great Britain was his victim in the decisive clash at Wimbledon. The scene was set and, together with Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez in the men's draw, Alcott arrived in New York with the chance to become the maiden wheelchair tennis player to complete a calendar-year singles Grand Slam. But despite chalking up a win against Lapthorne in the group-stage of the competition, Alcott fell to something of a shock defeat to the same opponent in the final. That proved to be the only defeat Alcott suffered all year whether in singles or doubles competition, with him posting a 16-1 win-loss record in singles and finishing the year as world No.1. In doubles, he was untouchable and with three different partners secured the calendar-year Grand Slam which eluded him in singles. It was sealed courtesy of his and Lapthorne's defeat of American duo Wagner and Bryan Barten at the US Open. In January, Alcott teamed up with fellow Australian Heath Davidson to victory at the Australian Open, while Wagner was his partner at Roland Garros and Lapthorne at Wimbledon. n IMPERIOUS IS AS GOOD A WORD AS ANY TO DESCRIBE DIEDE DE GROOT'S 2019 CAMPAIGN, DURING WHICH SHE DAZZLED on the biggest of stages and dominated the women's wheelchair game. It came as very little surprise that, for the second year running, De Groot was named women's wheelchair ITF World Champion. Early in 2019, De Groot spoke to ITFWorld and refused to entertain suggestions that she might one day eclipse the achievements of her idol and fellow Netherlands competitor Esther Vergeer. There is some way to go but should her catalogue of 2019 accolades be repeated on a regular basis then she might have to rethink her position. De Groot was simply ruthless and the narrative of her season emanated from the Grand Slams as she won three of the four on offer, completed her career Grand Slam and became the first wheelchair player to complete a non-calendar year Grand Slam. Such headlines were created by her lifting of silverware at Roland Garros – the first time she had done so in singles on the clay of Paris – as she comfortably dispatched Japan's Yui Kamiji in the final. Kamiji was also De Groot's victim in the final of the Australian Open in January and September's US Open, while the 23-year-old was only denied a calendar-year Grand Slam by compatriot Aniek van Koot, who crashed her Wimbledon party in a three-set final. Aside from her Grand Slam joy, De Groot scooped six other singles titles, which included the retention of her NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters crown in Orlando in November, and returned a 45-4 match record across the campaign. It was a glory-filled season across the board and a calendar-year Grand Slam was forthcoming in doubles as De Groot and Van Koot joined forces and proved themselves an impenetrable pairing. De Groot, together with Van Koot, claimed another six titles outside of the Grand Slams, while the former scooped a fourth World Team Cup gold medal in the colours of the Netherlands in May. It came as little shock that De Groot topped the 2019 year-end UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour world rankings in both singles and doubles. Diede de Groot De Groot became the first wheelchair player to complete a non- calendar year Grand Slam Dylan Alcott De Groot completed her career Grand Slam in 2019 Alcott is an ITF World Champion for the second year running

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