Shingo Kunieda is a Japanese wheelchair tennis player. Kunieda is a right-handed player whose favorite surface is hard court. He is coached by Hiromichi Maruyama. He is a former world number onewheelchair tennis player and was the ITF World Champion from 2007 to 2010. He was also the Year End Number One in doubles in 2007. In 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, and 2015 Kunieda achieved the Grand Slam in singles. In 2007 and 2008, Kunieda won three of the four Masters series events. Kunieda is the only player to retain the men's singles title at the Paralympic Games. In addition, Kunieda won the gold medal in the doubles of the Paralympics in 2004, and has been part of two World Team Cup wins. With 101 career titles over singles and doubles combined, including 42 Grand Slam titles, Kunieda is considered by many to be the greatest male wheelchair player of all time. Kunieda had a three-year, 106-match consecutive win streak. The streak began after his loss at the 2007 Masters and it was ended by Stéphane Houdet in the semifinals of the 2010 Masters. Between January 2014 and December 2015, Kunieda was on another big winning streak of 77 matches. It was broken by Joachim Gérard during the round-robin phase of the 2015 NEC Masters tournament. Despite losing a match in the round-robin phase, Kunieda qualified for the semi-finals and went on to reach the final, where he was again beaten by Gérard.
Biography
Due to a tumor in his spinal cord found when he was 9, he is paralyzed in the lower half of his body. Kunieda uses an Ox Engineering wheelchair. He graduated from Reitaku University in Japan, and now works for Reitaku University.
Career
2005–2008
Won Prostějov, Daegu, Seoul, First Super Series title in Fukuoka Lost in the semifinals of the US Open despite having three match points. Lost final of USD Open doubles. Won in Atlanta, San Diego and Hiroshima. Runner up at the masters. Loss San Diego with Houdet. Won Hiroshima with Fujimoto. At the Masters lost in the semis with Ammerlaan but went on to claim third. runner up in Nottingham Won Wimbledon. Won Paris Deagu Seoul Kunieda started 2007 by returning to number one in the world as he won the Australian Open in a three set match. He won the other Masters events at the Grand Slams with titles in Paris and New York. Won in Boca Raton, Fukuoka, Notiingham, Utrecht, San Diego, He also made finals in Sydney, Prostějov, Paris, However he could only reach the semifinals in Atlanta and the Masters. Kunieda finished the year as the World Champion. With Ammerlaan he won Australian Open, their first Masters title as a team. At the other Masters, Kunieda lost in the final of Roland Garros and Wimbledon but won in New York with Saida. With Jeremiasz he won the doubles in Sydney. He also partnered with Saida as they won in Boca Raton, Fukuoka, Paris, Nottingham and Atlanta. Lost in Utrecht and San Diego finals as a team. As a team they could only reach the semifinals at the masters. Kunieda was part of the Japanese team that won the World Team Cup. 2008 saw Kunieda win both of the Masters titles which were on offer in Melbourne and Paris. Kunieda also won titles in Pensacola, Boca Raton, Fukuoka and Nottingham. At the Paralympics Kunieda won the title. With Saida he won the Australian Open. As a team they also won titles in Pensacola, Boca Raton, Fukuoka, Lost in Nottingham. At the 2008 Paralympics Kunieda and Saida lost in the semifinals but went on to claim the Bronze medal. With Scheffers he won Roland Garros. Kunieda made both finals in Sydney but was unable to play in them due to rain. Kunieda was named the ITF World Champion for 2008.
2009–2012
In 2009, Kunieda won the Grand Slam. Kunieda won titles in Sydney, Fukuoka, Nottingham and St Louis. Kunieda was named as the 2009 ITF World Champion. In doubles competitions with Ammerlaan he won the Australian Open. As a team they also won in Sydney and St Louis. They were also finalists at Wimbledon. Won Daegu with Saida Helped team to 4th. In 2010 Kunieda won both titles in Fukuoka and Paris. Kunieda won both titles in St Louis and won his 100th straight singles match in the process. He also won the singles in Kobe. Won both titles at the Australian Open and Roland Garros; including saving 2 match points in Melbourne to keep the streak going. Won the US Open. Kunieda lost in the semifinals of the doubles masters and masters. Kunieda completed his season by winning two golds at the 2010 Asian Para Games, winning the singles before combining with Saida for the doubles. He finished the year as the ITF World Champion. 2011 saw Kunieda win titles in Sydney, Kobe, Fukuoka and Paris. An elbow injury forced Kunieda to withdraw from both finals of the US Open USTA Wheelchair tennis Championships. At the Grand Slams Kunieda won both titles at the Australian Open. At Roland Garros he lost in the semifinals but won the US Open. Sydney doubles final loss, won Kobe and Japan doubles Kunieda started his 2012 season with a semifinal showing in the Japan Open. He then guided his country to the semifinals of the World Team Cup. Kunieda lost in the final of Roland Garros but won the doubles. Kunieda got back to winning ways by winning the French Open, where in the semifinals he defeated Houdet 12–10 in a final-set tiebreaker. He also won the Swiss Open and for the fourth time the British Open. He then became the first man to successfully defend the Paralympic Games Men's singles title. At the 2012 Masters Kunieda finally captured the elusive title.
