Whiley celebrates biggest singles title of career with victory at British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships

Jordanne Whiley hopes victory at the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships will help her bid for a Paralympic gold medal at Rio 2016 ©LTA

Britain’s Jordanne Whiley won her first Super Series singles title today when she beat The Netherlands' Aniek van Koot 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the women’s final at the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships at Nottingham Tennis Centre.

The day after beating van Koot’s countrywoman and world number one Jiske Griffioen for just the second time in her career, the 23-year-old world number six Whiley bounced back from dropping the opening set against world number three van Koot to claim her first singles title at one of the sport’s six most important tournaments outside of the Grand Slams.

The win followed Whiley's victory at Wimbledon on Sunday (July 12) in the wheelchair ladies' doubles, with Japan's Yui Kamiji, over Griffioen and van Koot.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet," said Whiley.

"I’m used to just being a quarter or semi-finalist at Super Series events like this and now I’m here on finals day and I’ve just won the tournament.

“Today I hope I proved to myself and other players that I’m a contender for the singles and leading up to Rio [2016] next year a contender for gold as well.

"For so long I’ve been wanting to prove myself in singles but it hasn’t quite worked out."

Image title — Britain's Jordanne Whiley won her first Super Series singles title, lifting the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships with victory over The Netherlands Aniek van Koot ©LTA

Also on the penultimate day of the tournament, Andy Lapthorne finished runner-up in the quad singles final as South Africa’s Lucas Sithole won his second British Open title in three years.

World number three Lapthorne led world number four Sithole by a set and 4-1 before Sithole fought back, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to regain the British Open title he won for first time in 2013.

Lapthorne and his partner, Jamie Burdekin, beat Japan’s Shota Kawano and Mitsuteru Moroishi 7-5, 6-2 to reach tomorrow's quad doubles final.

The final will also see world number two Stephane Houdet of France play Belgium’s 2013 British Open champion in the men’s singles final.

Houdet beat fellow Frenchman Nicolas Peifer 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 in his semi-final, while world number four Gerard defeated Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez 5-7, 6-0, 6-3.