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Page last updated at 17:11 GMT, Sunday, 21 June 2009 18:11 UK

Shuker ready for Wimbledon debut

WIMBLEDON
Date: 22 June - 5 July
Coverage: BBC One, BBC Two, BBC HD, Red Button, website streaming (UK only) and text commentary, 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC iPlayer
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Lucy Shuker
Shuker will be hoping to make home advantage count

Somerset-based Lucy Shuker will be the sole British representative in this year's wheelchair doubles events at Wimbledon from 3-5 July.

Although the men's competition is in its fifth year, this is the first time that women's doubles have been included and Shuker is thrilled to be involved.

"When it was announced that there was going to be a women's doubles event, I really wanted to be there," she said.

"It's a real dream come true to have the chance to play at Wimbledon."

Shuker, who took up wheelchair tennis in 2003 after a motorcycle accident left her paralysed, will be playing with Australian Daniela di Toro at SW19 after the pair teamed up in Australia for a couple of tournaments earlier this season.

"Although my ranking was high enough to give me a chance of a place, Dani's wasn't," she told BBC Sport. "But she won the doubles at last month's Japan Open which got her ranking up so we are really looking forward to the challenge.

"Some of the guys who have played in the men's event over the last few years have said that the style of play that Dani and I have with plenty of volleys and drop shots and slice should work better on the grass than it does on other surfaces like clay."

As well as Shuker and di Toro, world number one singles and doubles player Esther Vergeer will team up with world number two Korie Homan in a formidable all-Dutch pairing while Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands will play with Frenchwoman Florence Gravellier while the field is completed by another Dutch player Sharon Walraven and Germany's Katharina Kruger.

606: DEBATE

Shuker and di Toro will train together for four days before the event at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton using their grass court to hone their skills.

"Although competing at last year's Beijing Paralympics was one of my career highlights so far, in tennis terms Wimbledon is a massive competition so I think it will be the biggest event I've played in," said the Briton.

"Hopefully we can do ourselves justice."

In the men's doubles, the defending champions Robin Ammerlaan and Ronald Vink of the Netherlands both return, but with different partners.

Ammerlaan will play with Japan's Shingo Kunieda, who is the current singles number one and who was part of the 2006 winning pairing with Satoshi Saida while Vink plays with compatriot Maikel Scheffers.

Michael Jeremiasz, who won the inaugural 2005 event with Britain's Jayant Mistry, will play with compatriot Stephane Houdet, the doubles world number one as they bid to add the Wimbledon crown to their Paralympic gold medal from Beijing.

Beijing silver medallists Stefan Olsson and Peter Wikstrom will be hoping for revenge on the French pairing.



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see also
Shuker misses out on Sydney final
06 Feb 09 |  Tennis
Shuker competes in Masters event
12 Nov 08 |  Disability Sport
Shuker claims Nottingham titles
03 Nov 08 |  Disability Sport
Shuker hopes for Beijing medals
23 Jul 08 |  Disability Sport
Dutch pair retain doubles crown
06 Jul 08 |  Disability Sport
A-Z of Paralympic classification
28 Aug 08 |  Disability Sport
Disability Sport on the BBC
02 Nov 09 |  Disability Sport
Tennis on the BBC
26 Oct 11 |  Tennis


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