Cajun Classic 2023: Preview, draw, schedule, and how to follow
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One of four scheduled ITF Super Series events on the 2023 UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, the Cajun Classic, returns on 14 March with seven Brits set to contest one of the biggest wheelchair tournaments outside of the four Grand Slams. Find out everything you need to know about the dates, draws, players and how to follow the 2023 Cajun Classic.
The second of two back-to-back tournaments in the USA this month, the Cajun Classic takes place from Tuesday 14 March through to Sunday 19 March, straight after the ITF 1 Series Georgia Open.
Where is the Cajun Classic 2023 being held?
The Lamar Tennis Centre, a 20-court facility located in the campus grounds of the Paula G. Manship YMCA in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is home to the Cajun Classic.
Who are the reigning Cajun Classic champions?
Men’s singles – Alfie Hewett (GBR)
Women’s singles – Diede de Groot (NED)
Quad singles – Niels Vink (NED)
Men’s doubles – Martin de la Puente (ESP) & Gustavo Fernandez (ARG)
Women’s doubles – Diede de Groot (NED) & Aniek van Koot (NED)
Quad doubles – Andy Lapthorne (GBR) & David Wagner (USA)
When is the Cajun Classic 2023 draw?
The Cajun Classic 2023 draw will take place on the eve of the tournament (Monday 13 March).
Which British players be competing at the Cajun Classic 2023?
Seven Brits will contest the Cajun Classic across the men’s, women’s and quad singles and doubles draws, with Hewett set to begin the men’s singles as top seed and defending champion as he goes in search of a fourth title in Baton Rouge.
Hewett won his first two titles in Baton Rouge in 2017 and 2018 before his victory over Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez in 2022 saw the Brit return to the world No.1 ranking for the second time in his career. He starts this year’s tournament as world No.1 and on a 15-match winning streak after lifting the Georgia Open title on Sunday.
Hewett also won the 2017 men’s doubles title in Baton Rouge partnering Dutchman Maikel Scheffers, but partners fellow Brit Gordon this year, with the duo unbeaten in 10 matches this season after their Georgia Open victory.
Reid is also a former singles champion, having won the 2014 Cajun Classic title before winning the 2016 doubles title with Sweden’s Stefan Olsson. British No.3 Ben Bartram makes his Cajun Classic debut this year as the 2022 US Open junior singles champion completes his first visit to the USA in senior competition.
British No.1 Lucy Shuker and British No.2 Cornelia Oosthuizen will both contest the women’s singles and doubles, Oosthuizen returning to Baton Rouge 12 months on from a first round main draw singles loss before progressing to the final of the consolation draw.
Shuker’s career-highlights in Baton Rouge date back to 2009 when she won the first of two back-to-back doubles titles partnering Dutchwoman Aniek van Koot. Shuker added a third Cajun Classic doubles title in 2015 and a fourth in 2018 while this year she will hope to go one better than when finishing doubles runner-up in 2022 partnering American Dana Mathewson. Shuker and Mathewson arrive in Baton Rouge on a high after winning the Georgia Open to lift their seventh title as a partnership.
Britain is also doubly represented in the quad singles and doubles by Lapthorne and Greg Slade, who were recently the quad singles champion and runner-up, respectively, at the ITF 2 Bolton Indoor.
Slade makes his Cajun Classic debut, while Lapthorne will set out to try and win his second Cajun Classic singles title after first being victorious in 2012. British No.1 and world No.6 Lapthorne has also won three quad doubles titles to date in Baton Rouge, lifting the title in 2015 and 2017 with fellow Brits Jamie Burdekin and Antony Cotterill, respectively, before partnering the USA’s David Wagner to also win again in 2022.
How to follow the Cajun Classic 2023
Daily news from the Cajun Classic 2023 will be available here on the LTA website and via LTA social media channels with draws updated daily on the ITF website.
