Open Could Hold the Key to Paralympic Success for Lapthorne
11th July 2012Andrew Lapthorne knows the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships is vital to his Paralympic preparations.
The world No.4 heads to the Nottingham Tennis Centre next week for his last competitive action ahead of London 2012 and is hoping a good performance can be the start of a potentially life-changing summer.
“For me, this is a big tournament,” said Lapthorne, who plays in the sport’s quad division. “It’s the last time I will be in action before the Paralympics so is the perfect opportunity to try out things I’ve been working on in training.
“I’m not hitting top form yet because I want to make sure I’m peaking at the right time. I’m certainly using the British Open as a very important part of my planning.
“If I can string a few good matches together then it will certainly help with my confidence going into the Paralympics.”
Lapthorne, 21, faces the unusual task of being Britain’s top ranked player after wheelchair tennis legend Peter Norfolk was forced to pull out with a niggling back injury sustained at the French Open.
And Lapthorne is adamant he doesn’t feel any added pressure saying: “It’s a bit different without Pete (Norfolk) there but I’ll just do what I always do and take it in my stride. If I saw it as a big deal then it might become a big deal, and I don’t want that.”
Norfolk’s exclusion won’t make Lapthorne’s job any easier with world No.1 David Wagner and No.3 Noam Gershony also on the acceptance list.
Organised by the Tennis Foundation, the British Open is one of six Super Series events on the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour and is seen as one of the top tournaments on the circuit outside the Paralympics and Grand Slams.
There will be have a go tennis sessions on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July at the Tennis Centre with activities for all the family and entry is free for the whole week.