London, July 13 2024-
Dutch wheelchair tennis legend Diede De Groot added another chapter to her historic winning spree in Para-tennis by winning her sixth Wimbledon trophy and 42nd major championship across singles and doubles. On Saturday, the World No.1 in women’s wheelchair singles defeated her compatriot Anisk Van Koot 6-4, 6-4 in the final to win a record-extending 15th Grand Slam title in a row.
The win streak for De Groot started in February 2021 and stretched to 145 matches before her loss to China’s Li Xiaohui at the World Team Cup in May. There was another loss to Yui Kamiji in the final of last week’s British Open in Roehampton but with victory over Van Koot, the No.1 claimed her 162nd match win from the past 164 matches she’s played.
It was a 15th straight Grand Slam title for the 27-year-old, extending her record for the longest Grand Slam wheelchair singles title-winning streak. She claimed sole ownership of the record, ahead of Shingo Kunieda, by winning her 13th consecutive Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open.
De Groot also celebrated her 23rd Grand Slam singles title, adding to another record the prolific champion already holds.
“I’m just happy to have another one. This year has been a little bit different than other years where I’ve basically been unbeaten, and then this year I was beaten. So, I know that all of these players are trying their absolute best to beat me, and Aniek was playing very well. I think everyone saw that she was doing the right things,” a smiling De Groot said.
In her 26th Grand Slam singles final, De Groot showed the benefit of her vast experience as she navigated a spirited challenge from her countrywoman.
Seemingly competing without nerves, she raced to a 4-0 lead on No.1 Court. But Van Koot is also a Wimbledon singles champion – having defeated De Groot in the 2019 final – and after a successful challenge at the start of the fifth game drew warm crowd support. It also helped shift the momentum.
The 33-year-old produced a series of forehand winners to earn two break-point opportunities. There were four deuces, with Van Koot eventually converting on a De Groot double fault. Her passionate “C’mon” grew progressively louder as she won four straight games to level. But as often happens in De Groot’s many match wins, she suddenly reasserted authority. The end of the first set came with a flurry of errors for Van Koot, allowing her compatriot a 6-4 lead.
While De Groot was constantly tested by Van Koot, she responded superbly to every test. Van Koot couldn’t consolidate an early second-set service break and even after recovering from a 2-4 deficit to level, De Groot always seemed in control.
Van Koot saved a first-match point with one of her 28 winners before the unrelenting De Groot secured her latest milestone with a superbly placed backhand. (Agency)
