Quadfather Norfolk should be an inspiration to Murray

By Holly Hamilton, Tennis Foundation

WE'VE all been thinking it and a few people have been brave enough to say it aloud but could this really be Andy Murray’s time to win that elusive Grand Slam?

QUADFATHER: While Andy Murray is seeking to open his Grand Slam account, Peter Norfolk is searching for his third win at Flushing Meadow

The Scot is on a great run of form which recently saw him defeat world number one Rafa Nadal and five-time US Open champion Roger Federer to take the Toronto Masters title. 

The world number four is at home on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows, where he reached his first ever Grand Slam final two years ago before falling at the feet of the Swiss maestro.

And with Federer proving more beatable than he has been in years as well as world number ten Juan Martin Del Potro being unable to defend his title thanks to a persistent wrist injury, it’s fair to say that he might not get a better chance than this.

But while the majority of the British media will be focussing on the 23-year-old, there is another realistic hope of a Grand Slam winner from our shores.

Defending champion Peter Norfolk, who will be competing in the quad wheelchair tennis singles, is heading out to New York looking to pick up his third US Open title. 

The two-time Paralympic champion lost his world number one ranking in July after taking five months out of competition but after the recent birth of his second child, Norfolk is raring to recapture the top spot.

But the 49-year-old dubbed ‘The Quadfather’ will face stiff opposition in the shape of new number one David Wagner as the American looks to take full advantage of his home crowd.  

Not to be missed on court is defending women’s singles champion Esther Vergeer as the Dutchwoman bids to continue her unbeaten streak of 390 consecutive wins in singles competition.

Quite rightly the world number one and ten-time ITF world champion will be honoured during the opening ceremony on Monday evening thanks to what has already been a remarkable career.

Meanwhile, featured in the men’s singles are world number one Shingo Kunieda from Japan and two-time champion Robin Ammerlaan from the Netherlands.

The wheelchair event is now in its fifth year at the US Open and the prize money dished out will be $100,000, the highest total prize money offered by any of the Grand Slam wheelchair events.

With two years to go this Sunday until the Paralympic Games begin at London 2012, wheelchair tennis will be in the spotlight more than ever before.

Norfolk and some of Britain's other leading players are heading out to the US this weekend and competing in St Louis next week before Norfolk moves on to the Big Apple for the wheelchair tennis competition during the last four days of the Grand Slam (9-12 September).

So fingers crossed not only for Murray to finally break his duck, but for Norfolk to repeat his past successes and give us hope of a tennis gold on home soil when the Games roll into town.  

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