NORFOLK LIFTS US OPEN QUAD TITLE

Britain's Peter Norfolk has won the inaugural Quad Singles title in the US Open Wheelchair Tennis Tournament after defeating World No 1 David Wagner of the United States 7-6(5), 6-2 in Sunday's final at Flushing Meadows.

Norfolk had already beaten Wagner in New York this week, securing a three sets victory in the second of three round robin matches on Friday, and reaching the final undefeated.

However, with Wagner having finished as runner-up to Norfolk after the round robin stage to also earn his place in Sunday's final, World No 2 Quad Norfolk, from Alton, Hampshire, looked like he might have an easier time against the American in the final as he took a 5-1 first set lead.

But, after securing breaks in the fourth and the sixth games Norfolk found himself unable to serve out the set as Wagner gradually chipped away at the Briton's lead.

A deuce game in the eighth game was the nearest that Norfolk could come to a set point as Wagner secured a double break en route to levelling the scores and then another to move 6-5 ahead. Nevertheless, Norfolk weathered the storm and held his nerve in a tense 12th game, saving four set points before forcing a tie-break on his third break point.

Norfolk secured a mini break to go 2-1 up in the tie-break, but Wagner retrieved the break to level at 4-4. The Hampshire player then clinched another mini-break to move 6-5 up and gain his first set point of the match before holding his nerve to see out the set.

After an edgy first set Athens Paralympic champion Norfolk secured the first break of the second set in the third game and then secured another break after the seventh game went to deuce.

Having seen his 5-1 lead disappear in the first set after twice serving for the opener Norfolk might have been entitled to be nervous as he served for the match with a 5-2 second set lead. However, if there were any nerves he didn't show them as he calmly went 40-0 up and served out on the first of his three match points to clinch the title.

This is the first title that a British player has won in the US Open Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, which is now in its third year of running alongside the final Grand Slam event of the year. But this is the first year that Quad Singles and Doubles events, for players affected in three or more limbs, have taken place at Flushing Meadows.

Norfolk's victory is all the more remarkable as this week's tournament was his first after four months out with a shoulder injury. During that time Norfolk has seen Wagner succeed him as Japan Open champion, British Open champion and World No 1 ranked Quad Singles player.

The Briton will now continue his quest to reclaim the World No 1 ranking when he takes part alongside Wagner in next week's Atlanta Wheelchair Tennis Masters Series. The week after that Norfolk will bid to retain his Quad Singles title at the US Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships in San Diego, the fourth and final event on the 2007 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour to have Super Series status, the equivalent of Grand Slam. Norfolk currently has 11 career Super Series titles to his name.