Wheelchair tennis: the stars are set!
The draw for the wheelchair tennis events has been revealed this Thursday.
For its very first edition inside Paris La Defense Arena, the Rolex Paris Masters is introducing another exciting new feature: wheelchair tennis event (singles and doubles) will take place from October 31 to November 2.
"Everything is new this year, we’re embracing change," said FFT President Gilles Moretton during the ceremony. "The Federation is committed to promoting tennis everywhere and for everyone. And since we host the biggest indoor tennis tournament in the world, it was only natural to include wheelchair tennis events. It’s the first time this discipline is part of the Rolex Paris Masters, and it’s made possible thanks to our facilities. Matches will be played on court 2, which can accommodate nearly 5,000 spectators. The field is incredibly strong, with multiple Grand Slam champions and Paralympic medalists among the participants."
And speaking of players, with the exception of world No. 1 Tokito Oda, the biggest stars of the wheelchair tennis circuit will headline this brand-new ITF Grade 1 event starting Friday. "It’s a real pleasure, we’ve been talking for days about the new features and how beautiful this site is," said Stéphane Houdet. "Last week in Vienna, we were in the locker room with other players sharing our satisfaction at seeing more and more tournaments choosing to host wheelchair tennis events."
The Frenchman, who also conducted the draw, will face Britain’s Gordon Reid in the quarter-finals, a rematch of their recent showdown in the Vienna final.
Alfie Hewett (No.1), champion at the Australian Open and runner-up at both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, will open against Spain’s Martin De La Puente. On the other side of the draw, Gustavo Fernandez (No.2) begins his campaign against Ruben Spaargaren. Meanwhile, French wild card Frédéric Cattaneo, the second home representative in the singles event, will take on Daniel Caverzaschi.
Please note that Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez has withdrawn from the doubles competition and will be replaced by French alternate Guilhem Laget.
Schedule & Broadcast
Friday, October 31: Singles quarter-finals (4 matches, from 12:00 PM)
Saturday, November 1: Singles and doubles semi-finals (4 matches, from 11:30 AM)
Sunday, November 2: Singles and doubles finals (2 matches, from 12:00 PM)
Follow all matches live on the Rolex Paris Masters YouTube channel.
The finals, scheduled on Sunday, November 2 from noon, will be commentated live by Ksénia Chasteau and Kévin Piette, and will also be streamed on France TV Sport’s digital platform.
