Houdet comes from behind to win first British Open Wheelchair Tennis singles title

France's Stephane Houdet won his first British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships men’s singles title in Nottingham ©LTA

France's Stéphane Houdet won his first British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships men’s singles title today in a nail biting final against Belgium's Joachim Gerard at the Nottingham Tennis Centre.

In a tightly contested men's decider, the world number two lost a close opening set to Gerard in a rematch of their 2013 British Open final, which was played indoors.

Houdet recovered, though, and raced through the second against the world number four, then battled back from 5-3 down in the deciding set and saved a match point at 5-4 to eventually clinch a 6-7, 6-1, 7-6 victory in this Super Series event.

"This morning when I saw the rain I was afraid to play another match at the British Open indoors," said 44-year-old Houdet, the current Australian Open champion, but who was beaten in the final of the French Open last month by his Japanese doubles partner Shingo Kunieda

"It was a dream to get outside and try to win the title outdoors.

"I don’t know why, but when I woke up after Wimbledon on Monday I was thinking it was going to be mine.

"For the first time it was so sunny and windy.

"It is the first time that I thought I could really win this title."

Image title — Nick Taylor and David Wagner showed their class, coming from behind to beat Britain's Jamie Burdekin and Andy Lapthorne in the final of the quad doubles at the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships ©LTA

The quad doubles title was won by American top seeds Nick Taylor and David Wagner, beating Britain's Jamie Burdekin and Andy Lapthorne,

The quad doubles final started brightly for Burdekin and Lapthorne as they took the opening set 7-5, but three-time Paralympic quad doubles gold medallists Taylor and Wagner won the points that mattered in the second and third sets to prevail 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

"We have experience of coming through in tough matches throughout our career, we know how to pull each other up and work together as a team,” said Wagner.

"We had tough matches all the way through the tournament, it is a qualifying year for the [Paralympic] Games and there are no easy matches ever because everyone wants to beat you, especially when you are the team on top or player on top, everyone is gunning for you and the challenge is to stay on top,”

Dutch pairing of Jiske Griffioen and Aniek van Koot claimed the women’s doubles title, beating Sabine Ellerbrock of Germany and South Africa's Kgothatso Montjane 6-0, 6-3.

With rain in Nottingham early on the final day of the tournament, the women’s doubles final was the first match to be played and entertained the crowds on the indoor courts.

The victory came a week after Griffioen and van Koot had been beaten in the final of the Wimbledon for the second consecutive year by Britain's Jordanne Whiley and Japan's Yui Kamiji.

Both players had also suffered against Whiley in the singles at Nottingham.

The Briton had beaten Griffioen, the world number one, in the semi-finals on Friday (July 17) and then van Koot, the world number three, in yesterday's final.

"In doubles we have had some really good lessons over the last two weeks and we are excited about what is coming up with the US Open,” said van Koot.

“After Wimbledon we were a bit tired coming into this tournament and it is a very good feeling to end with this win."

With the British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships now complete, the Tennis Foundation is hosting the 1st World Deaf Tennis Championships from tomorrow until next Sunday (July 26) featuring more than 70 players from 20 countries.