By Paul Osborne

Japan's Shingo Kunieda has defended his men's singles title at the ABN AMRO World Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam ©Getty ImagesFebruary 15 - Japan's world number one wheelchair tennis player Shingo Kunieda has defended his men's singles title at the ABN AMRO World Wheelchair Tennis Tournament with victory over Frenchman Stephane Houdet.

The Japanese top seed secured his first 6-0, 6-0 victory over world number two Houdet as the pair competed in their 38th career match against one another as the tournament in Rotterdam came to a close.

Kunieda was rampant from the start of the encounter storming to a 5-0 lead against a defenceless Houdet.

A double fault in the sixth game gave Kunieda three set points and, after failing to convert the first, the three-time Paralympic champion slammed a forehand down the line to give himself a commanding lead.

It was much the same in the second set as Kunieda continued to wow the large Dutch crowds watching courtside at Ahoy Rotterdam with a remarkable display of tennis.

At 5-0 down, Houdet had the opportunity to serve out his first game of the tie as he battled his way to two game points in the crucial sixth game.

A couple of fine returns from Kunieda brought the score back to deuce however, and a demoralised Houdet was unable to control a backhand to give the 2013 champion match point.

Kunieda subsequently sealed a completely dominant victory as Houdet failed to reach the net with another attempted backhand retrieval.

Shingo Kunieda was completely dominant in the men's singles final, beating Frenchman Stephane Houdet without dropping a game ©Getty ImagesShingo Kunieda was completely dominant in the men's singles final, beating Frenchman Stephane Houdet without dropping a game ©Getty Images


"I played amazing today," said Kunieda after his 29th career win over Houdet.

"I had a good serve and good returns, so I was very happy.

"With inclusion again in an ATP Tour event it was a very good experience.

"It is great to share the same locker rooms and restaurant."

The men's doubles final saw Great Britain's Gordon Reid and Dutch partner Maikel Scheffers claim the title after beating top seeds Houdet and partner Ronald Vink of The Netherlands.

It is the second successive year Reid has won the title following his 2013 win alongside Houdet and means the Briton remains unbeaten in the doubles event in Rotterdam.

The ABN AMRO World Wheelchair Tennis Tournament was the latest International Tennis Federation (ITF) Wheelchair Tennis Tour event to take place alongside an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour or WTA Tour event, as Czech star Tomáš Berdych ended his medal draught on the World Tour with victory in the men's singles.

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