Tuesday, 20 October 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa. – The International Tennis Federation has announced the entries for the 2015 UNIQLO Wheelchair Doubles Masters, which will be held for the third successive year at the Marguerite Tennis Paviliion in Mission Viejo, Southern California on 3-7 November 2015. South African men’s top ranked wheelchair tennis ace Evans Maripa will be representing the country at the prestigious event with doubles partner Alfie Hewett of Great Britain.
The top eight men’s doubles pairings, the top six women’s doubles pairings and the top four quad doubles pairings based on combined doubles rankings at the ranking cut-off date of 28 September made up the field for the year-end championship for the world’s leading wheelchair tennis doubles players.
Maripa finished fourth last year alongside Japan’s Doubles Masters debutant Shingo Kunieda after Jeremiasz and Reid raced into a 4-0 lead in the semifinal. Kunieda and Maripa forced their way back into the match, but Jeremiasz and Reid capitalised on a 3-0 lead in the final set to complete 6-1 4-6 6-2 victory.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a successful start to 2015 with three tournament victories, including a singles win over Japan’s world number eight Takashi Sanada at the Queensland Wheelchair Tennis Open.
Maripa says he has prepared well for the year-end doubles championship. “I have played back-to-back tournaments the past months which was the best preparation for me going into the masters”, said Maripa.
“Hewett and I play very well together, he’s a very strong player and I’m hoping to go out there and do our best”, added Maripa.
Wheelchair Tennis South Africa’s director and coach Holger Losch said: “Evans is well rested and he is primed to do well at the doubles masters. We would like to wish him all the best. Maripa is tremendously talented and takes pride representing his country at such events and we believe he will do us proud”.
Participation in local and international tournaments such as these is made possible by the generous sponsorships offered by Airports Company South Africa, the official sponsor of the sport
