Lexus British Open 2023: Niels Vink defeats countryman Sam Schroder to win second title
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Top seed and world No.1 Niels Vink is the new Lexus British Open Wheelchair Championships quad singles champion after defeating Sam Schroder in Sunday’s final.
Taking on his usual doubles partner, Vink beat Schroder 6-3, 6-2 in an entertaining final in front of the Nottingham crowd.
This is Vink’s second Lexus British Open title, having also claimed the trophy in 2019, where he became the youngest player ever to win an ITF Super Series quad singles title at just 16.
“At the start of the week it took a bit of time to adjust to the hard courts, but it’s always really special to come back here as it’s where I won my first Super Series title. It’s great to get my second.
“Since the Australian Open I haven’t lost a singles match and I’m really happy with the level I’m playing at. Now I’m off to Rotterdam to play in the Para Games, then I’ll train a couple of weeks before the US Open, where hopefully I can play my best tennis again.”
It’s always really special to come back here as it’s where I won my first Super Series title. It’s great to get my second.
Vink has now beaten his fellow countryman in five of the six finals they’ve played this season – including Roland Garros, the Cajun Classic and the Japan Open. The young Dutchman now has eight singles titles on the season.
Vink and Schroder also won the quad doubles title after they were awarded a walkover against Robert Shaw and Heath Davidson in the final.
“I’ve played Niels a lot of times,” said Schroder. “We get drawn against each other in nearly every tournament so we’ve had many difficult matches. I really had to be at my best level to beat him and today, unfortunately, I wasn’t.”
Vink broke Schroder seven times across the two sets and after taking a 3-1 lead in the opener, he never looked back. Schroder showed brilliant fight to prevent the 20-year-old from serving out both sets, but was unable to back it up on serve. The young Dutchman let out a huge roar and a fist pump as Schroder’s forehand landed in the net on his first championship point.
