The Japanese world number one beat Argentine Gustavo Fernandez 6-0, 6-4 at Notting Hill/Pinewood Tennis Club to extend his unbeaten run to 57 matches in a period spanning more than a full calendar year.

Kunieda beat Fernandez in the Australian Open and US Open finals last year and once again proved why he is the best men's singles player around with victory in Melbourne.

Sabine Ellerbrock will also be heading into her title defence on a high as she claimed the women's singles title in Melbourne.

She won a fascinating singles final against Dutch world number two Aniek van Koot after recovering from a set down for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory that earned German's world number four her first singles title since last July's Belgian Open.

Sabine Ellerbrock will be in high spirits as she looks to defend her Australian Open title following victory at the Melbourne Open ©Getty Images



Great Britain's Andy Lapthorne claimed the top prize in the quads singles contest courtesy of a walkover after Australia's Dylan Alcott was forced to withdraw from the final.

There was further British success in the men's doubles where Queensland Open champions Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid beat Brazil's Daniel Rodrigues and Australia's Ben Weekes.

The British pairing had knocked out top seeds Joachim Gérard of Belgium and Maikel Scheffers of The Netherlands in their semi-final and recovered from a second set slip up to dominate the championship tiebreak for a 6-2, 0-6, 10-3 win.

South African Kgothatso Montjane and Briton Lucy Shuker, who also ended the hopes of the top seeds in the women's doubles semi-finals, had another tough final against Dutchwoman Marjolein Buis and Ellerbrock, but narrowly avoided being taken to a championship tiebreak as they closed out a 6-4, 7-6 victory.

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