Shuker moves up rankings (From This is The West Country)

Shuker moves up rankings

12:30pm Wednesday 8th July 2009

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ASH Priors’ Wimbledon Wheelchair Doubles finalist Lucy Shuker has risen to a new career high world doubles ranking of number six this week.

The 29-year-old British number one and her Australian doubles partner Daniela di Toro flew out to a ITF 2 Series tournament in Italy this week, a day after contesting the final of the inaugural Wimbledon Women’s Wheelchair Doubles, their first Grand Slam final.

Shuker and di Toro upset second seeds Florence Gravellier of France and Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands in Friday’s semi-finals, earning a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Shuker and di Toro secured service breaks at the start of both the first and second sets and these proved crucial as they went on to establish a 5-2 second set lead.

Di Toro had the first opportunity of serving for the semi-final, but Gravellier and Griffioen won two games on the bounce before Shuker finally served out for the victory.

“Ever since I started playing wheelchair tennis in 2003 it’s been a dream to play at Wimbledon, so we were determined to make the most of it,” said Shuker, who had her Taunton-based coach Natalie Ayton working alongside her.

Sunday's final against Dutch top seeds Korie Homan and Esther Vergeer, the world's top two singles and doubles players, certainly proved tough, the Australian Open and Roland Garros champions establishing a 5-0 lead despite Shuker producing a series of inspirational backhand volleys at the net.

However, Shuker and di Toro’s determination paid off and they won the sixth game of the final to deny the Dutch duo a third 6-0 set after winning their semi-final without reply. Nevertheless, Vergeer served out the set.

In six tournaments as a partnership Homan and Vergeer have never lost a match, but Shuker and di Toro rallied to move 3-1 ahead in the second set. However, hopes of a spectacular comeback gradually faded, Homan and Vergeer putting together five games in succession to clinch a historic victory 6-1, 6-3.

Shuker said: “We knew it was going to be tough, they are the world's top ranked players, but we did our best out there and took it to them in the second set, but they were just too good.

“There is some disappointment, but to get to the final was a great achievement and to play at Wimbledon for the first time has been incredible. I look forward to hopefully having another chance again next year.”

Shuker and di Toro are now among the top three seeds for the women’s singles at this week’s Trofeo Della Mole in Italy. They will hope to go one better than they did at Wimbledon as they pair up for the women's doubles.

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