Gerard was given the award after he beat formidable world number one Shingo Kunieda 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 in the final of the event in London to cap off a fruitful year for the 27-year-old.

His triumph against Kunieda provided one of the shock results of the season and saw him climb to number four in the world rankings.

The Belgian also proved too strong for the Japanese in the group phase of the tournament as he ended Kunieda’s impressive 77-match winning streak with a 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 success.

He received 50 per cent of the votes for the IPC Athlete of the Month award to beat off competition from Canadian ice sledge hockey player Tyler McGregor, who garnered 27 per cent.

Third place went to Russian Nordic skier Stanislav Chokhlaev, double gold medallist at the 2015 IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Championships, as he received 16 per cent.

Gerard has enjoyed a successful career to date having claimed the Roland Garros doubles title with Frenchman Stephane Houdet.

He is still waiting, however, for his maiden Grand Slam singles triumph after he suffered a last four defeat at the hands of Kunieda at the US Open in New York back in September.

The nominations for the award are compiled from submissions by National Paralympic Committees and International Federations, before being put to a public vote on the IPC website.

Other winners in 2015 include T42 world 100 metres champion Martina Caironi of Italy, who earned the prize in May, and American Nordic skier Andrew Soule, who claimed January’s award.