Rob Shaw’s 2024 season formally got here to an finish on Wednesday because the Canadian quad wheelchair tennis participant was eradicated within the group stage of the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters, the year-end championships for wheelchair tennis, in Arnhem, Netherlands.
Because the No. 7 quad participant within the ITF rankings in October, Shaw had certified for the eight-player subject on the prestigious year-end championships. It was his third yr in a row qualifying for the Wheelchair Masters.
Nonetheless, hampered by damage, Shaw was bodily restricted in his round-robin matches. He misplaced to world No. 1 Sam Schroder and No. 4 Ahmet Kaplan in straight units earlier than retiring one sport into his ultimate group stage match on Wednesday in opposition to No. 6 Andy Lapthorne.
Shaw had not performed for the reason that Paralympics in Paris again in September attributable to a shoulder damage. The Canadian solely competed on the Masters as a result of the ITF handbook states that if a participant who receives direct entry to a compulsory occasion chooses to not enter, they are going to obtain zero factors. That zero can’t be eliminated or changed from his rating, that means he can be pressured to hold it for the following yr. As that is one in every of a restricted variety of occasions from which Shaw can accrue rankings factors yearly, it was essential that he try to participate.
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Even with the early elimination in Arnhem, Shaw is projected to finish the season ranked contained in the Prime 10 of the quad rankings for the third yr in a row and fifth time within the final six seasons. The 34-year-old is at present ranked eighth, which ought to it maintain can be his second-highest year-end end (he completed 2022 at No. 7).
Regardless of the disappointing finish to the season, 2024 was a extremely profitable yr for Shaw. He received two singles titles in Geneva and Berlin, with the previous being his first ITF 1 Collection victory making it the most important win of his profession up to now.
These two wins each got here in July within the lead-up to the Paris Paralympics, the place Shaw received his opening match in opposition to Brazil’s Ymanitu Silva in straight units for his first-ever Paralympic match win. That victory additionally stretched Shaw’s profitable streak to 9 matches, which included the title runs in Geneva and Berlin. He misplaced within the second spherical to the eventual gold medalist Niels Vink.
The Canadian had much more success in doubles in 2024, profitable 5 titles, all on the ITF 1 Collection degree or larger, together with a career-best win on the ITF Tremendous Collection Japan Open in April.
