Lapthorne wins fourth Aussie Open crown

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Eastcote’s Andy Lapthorne clinched his fourth Australian Open men’s quad doubles title on Thursday as he and partner David Wagner retained their crown.

The top seeds (pictured) defeated South Africa’s Lucas Sithole and Australia’s Dylan Alcott, the second seeds, 6-0 3-6 6-2.

Lapthorne and Wagner took just 22 minutes to win the opening set, and although Sithole and Alcott hit back to take it into a decider, the Anglo-American pair broke three times to seal victory.

It maintains the 24-year-old’s remarkable hold over the quad doubles in Melbourne, having won this event with Peter Norfolk in 2011 and 2012 and again with Wagner in 2014.

It was also sweet revenge for Lapthorne, who had been beaten by world number two Sithole in the quad singles round robin earlier in the day, ending his hopes of progressing.

Ickenham’s Jordanne Whiley will be in Friday’s women’s doubles final, also hoping to retain her title, after she and Yui Kamiji beat Katharina Kruger and Sharon Walraven.

They will face the second seeds Jiske Griffioen and Aniek Van Koot of the Netherlands, second on court seven.

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