Whiley and Lapthorne in British Open finals

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Jordanne Whiley and Andy Lapthorne both defeated world number one ranked players to reach their respective finals at the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships.

Ickenham-based Whiley’s hot streak continued as she beat Jiske Griffioen to end the Dutchwoman’s 20-match winning run in singles.

Having defeated Griffioen and her partner Aniek van Koot to lift the Wimbledon doubles title on Sunday, Whiley repeated the trick despite losing the first set.

She hit back to clinch the match 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 and will now face Van Koot in the final, who beat Whiley’s doubles partner Yui Kamiji in the other semi-final.

Whiley said: “I was in so much disbelief and so happy that I burst into tears and couldn’t breathe.

“I couldn’t believe that I just took out the world number one, who has a seven month winning streak, and I’ve made my first ever Super Series final – it’s just amazing.”

Reigning US Open quad singles champion Lapthorne, meanwhile, defeated Dylan Alcott 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 and remains the only person to beat the Australian this year.

Lapthorne said: “I love playing the big matches when there’s a lot on the line, I had no choice but to play better today and that’s what I did.

“It was a hard match, a tough three sets like it often is with Dylan. It’s nice to beat him, there’s a massive rivalry between us so I love beating him.”

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