British duo Anthony Cotterill and Andy Lapthorne came out on top against Heath Davidson and Lucas Sithole in their first match of the competition © UNIQLO Wheelchair Doubles Masters

Last year’s quad doubles finalists Anthony Cotterill and Andy Lapthorne and Nick Taylor and David Wagner both made winning starts at the 2017 UNIQLO Wheelchair Doubles Masters at the Sportcentrum Schaapskooi, in Bemmel, Netherlands.

British top seeds Cotterill and Lapthorne secured a 6-3 7-5 victory against Heath Davidson of Australia and Lucas Sithole of South Africa, despite being a break down in the second set.

They will now play Americans Nick Taylor and David Wagner, the sport’s most successful doubles partnership, who thrashed Greg Hasterok and Kyu-Seung Kim, from the US and South Korea respectively, 6-2 6-0.

Following his and Taylor’s win against Hasterok and Kim, Wagner commented: “I don’t know that going to the tenth title this year add any extra pressure.

“I guess people want what we’ve got, so I think maybe the pressure’s on them.

“We’ve already proven ourselves, I think,

“We love playing in the Masters.

American David Wagner, along with partner Nick Taylor, will be looking to reach the final of the tournament © Getty Images
American David Wagner, along with partner Nick Taylor, will be looking to reach the final of the tournament © Getty Images

“It’s always an honour representing our division in the Masters and the success we’ve had been super-great.

“It’s been a heck of a career and it’s an honour to play with Nick and we really look forward to the rest of the matches.

“Every time we step on to the court we can learn something.

“We don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on the past, win or loss.”

With the top two partnerships after three days of round-robin matches set to play each other in Saturday’s quad doubles final, Thursday’s meeting between Cotterill and Lapthorne and Taylor and Wagner on Centre Court may not be the last one of the competition.