Wheelchair tennis No 1 to play in SA

Japanese wheelchair tennis star Shingo Kunieda is ranked number one in the world and has won singles' gold at the past two Paralympic Games (Photo: International Tennis Federation)

In a statement on Monday, 25 March 2013, Losch described Kunieda as an "inspirational world number one player with an impressive string of successes behind his name" and said his participation would "inspire local players and give the game in South Africa, as well as both tournaments, a major boost."

Kunieda last week confirmed his entry into next month's Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) Gauteng Open and Acsa SA Open. The tournaments form part of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour.

The Gauteng Open takes place in Benoni from 3 to 7 April, while the South African Open will be held at Ellis Park in Johannesburg from the 9 to 13 April.

Excited

Speaking from his home in Chiba, Japan, Kunieda said he was excited to be travelling to South Africa. "I am looking forward to playing my first South Africa tournament. I am hard at work preparing for the tournaments. I am playing well and I have great confidence and will try to get the titles," he stated.

Kunieda, aged 29, is the reigning Australian Open champion and arrives in the country unbeaten in 2013, having won three titles this year (Sydney, Melbourne and Rotterdam). He won gold at last year's London Paralympics and is the current NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters title holder.

Due to a tumor in his spinal cord when he was nine-years-old, Kunieda is paralyzed in the lower half of his body. He started his wheelchair tennis career at the age of 11 and joined the international tour circuit at 17 years old.

Paralympics

Eight years later, aged 25 he became Japan's first professional wheelchair tennis player and won gold in the singles at the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008. He had previously won a gold medal in the doubles at the Athens Paralympics in 2004.

Kunieda was honoured by the International Tennis Federation as the World Wheelchair Tennis Champion from 2007 to 2010, making him the first player ever to have won the world title for four straight years.

The Airports Company South Africa Gauteng Open is a Grade 1 event with the Airports Company South Africa SA Open being the first Super Series event played in the country.