Oss to host Wheelchair Singles and Doubles Masters in 2022
The ITF and KNLTB have confirmed the Dutch city of Oss as the host of both the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters and the Wheelchair Doubles Masters in 2022.
The ITF’s year-end wheelchair tennis championships for singles and doubles will take place from 30 October to 6 November, with the Sportcentrum De Rusheuvel in Oss staging both events simultaneously in the Netherlands for the first time since 2002.
The event will give the Dutch public the chance to cheer on local stars such as Diede de Groot, Aniek van Koot, Tom Egberink, Maikel Scheffers, Sam Schroder and Niels Vink, who were all medallists at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, and among 39 players from 14 countries who contested the 2021 NEC Wheelchair Singes Masters and UNIQLO Doubles Masters in Orlando, USA.
The KNLTB has a long history of hosting both events. The NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters, the ITF’s year-end championship for the world’s top eight men’s, women’s and quad singles players, was first held in 1994 in Eindhoven, where it remained until 1999 before moving to Amersfoort for a six-year period. In 2006 the Singles Masters moved to a new host venue in Amsterdam, which staged the event until 2010.
In 2011 the Singles Masters was held outside of Netherlands for the first time, and has since been hosted in Belgium, Great Britain, and USA before returning to Dutch soil this year.
The first ever Doubles Masters took place in 2000 alongside the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters in Amersfoort.
Featuring the world’s top eight men’s partnerships, top six women’s partnerships and top four quad partnerships on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, the Doubles Masters became a standalone event for the first time in in 2003. In 2011 the event returned to Netherlands as Amsterdam played host for a two-year period, while Bemmel hosted the Doubles Masters in 2017 and 2018.
David Haggerty, ITF President said: “The ITF is delighted that the NEC Wheelchair Singles and the UNIQLO Doubles Masters will be taking place in Oss this year. We would like to thank the tournament organisers and the KNLTB for their support. It promises to be a great event and provides a special opportunity for fans to watch and celebrate the world’s best wheelchair tennis stars, including the Dutch players who have enjoyed such great recent success, including at last year’s Paralympic Games.”
Eriki Poel, General Director of KNLTB, said: “It's great that we can host this in the Netherlands and that we can now also see the ladies in action. The men have an event during the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament (in February) in Rotterdam. This is a beautiful and unique opportunity for the public to also see the likes of Diede de Groot and Aniek van Koot in action.”
Stijn Smeulders, Deputy for Culture, Sport and Heritage in the province of North Brabant, said: "Sport and exercise are very important to us. These top athletes show society that a lot is possible. They undoubtedly inspire even more people with a disability to exercise as well. We are very happy that the municipality of Oss has taken up this initiative.”
Eric Kersten, Tournament Director for the 2022 NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters and Wheelchair Doubles Masters, added: “We look forward to creating opportunities to network with local tennis clubs and to host meetings and clinics. And of course, we will make sure that in addition to the top athletes on the court, we will bring more tennis legends to Oss.”
NEC has been title sponsor of the Singles Masters since its inception in 1994. In 2018 the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters celebrated its 25th edition before NEC celebrated 30 years of their sponsorship of ITF wheelchair tennis activities in 2021.