Sharon Walraven

Sharon Walraven
Walraven competing at the 2011 US Open
Country (sports) Netherlands
Born (1970-06-19) 19 June 1970 (age 54)
Schaesberg, Netherlands
Turned pro1994
PlaysRight Handed
Official websitewww.sharonwalraven.nl
Singles
Career record527–238
Highest rankingNo. 2 (11 April 2005)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenSF (2006)
French OpenF (2010)
US OpenF (2006)
Other tournaments
MastersF (2006)
Paralympic Games Silver Medal (2000)
Doubles
Career record354–145
Highest rankingNo. 1 (4 July 2005)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (2011, 2012)
French OpenW (2011)
WimbledonW (2010, 2011)
US OpenW (2010, 2011)
Other doubles tournaments
Masters DoublesW (2010, 2011)
Paralympic Games Gold Medal (2008)
Medal record
Women's wheelchair tennis
Representing  Netherlands
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Women's doubles
Silver medal – second place 2000 Sydney Women's singles
Last updated on: 19 August 2012.

Sharon Walraven (born 19 June 1970, Schaesberg) is a Dutch wheelchair tennis player. She became paraplegic at age 23 after complications following a fall while she was ice-skating.[1] She has won seven Grand Slams doubles titles partnering compatriot Esther Vergeer. At the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing she won the gold medal in the women's doubles competition. At the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney she won a silver medal in the women's singles competition. Walraven has a highest ranking of No.2 in singles and No.1 in doubles.

Walraven won the doubles title with Griffioen in St Louis 2010,[2] however the pair lost in the final in Paris.[3] With Graviller she took the Florida Open title.[4]

With Vergeer, Walraven achieved the Grand Slam in 2011, defeating Griffioen and van Koot in all four finals. During the finals the pair recovered from being 5–2 down in the final set at Wimbledon and 6–1 down in the second set tiebreak at the US Open to win.[5][6][7][8] The pair were also victorious in the Masters.[9] Alongside Vergeer she lost the final at Boca Raton.[10]

2012 saw Walraven win a singles title in Trofeo della Mole.[11] However Walraven also lost finals in Sardinia,[12] Olot[13] and Gauteng.[14] In doubles competition Walraven won the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open with Vergeer.[15] Throughout the rest of the year she won the Japan Open with Buis,[16] and titles in Olot and Sardinia with Ellerbrock.[13][17] Walraven was runner up at the Pensacola Open with Vergeer,[18] in Atlanta with Sevenans,[19] and made the finals in Gauteng and Johannesburg with Kruger.[14][20] Walraven helped her nation win a 25th World Team Cup final.[21]

  1. ^ "Biografie". Sharon Walraven. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Kunieda to face Ammerlaan in St. Louis final". ITF Tennis. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Olsson upsets defending champion Houdet". ITF Tennis. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Andersson beats Norfolk on a day of upsets". ITF Tennis. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Kunieda-Scheffers win Australian Open men's doubles". ITF Tennis. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  6. ^ "Dutch doubles delight at Wimbledon". ITF Tennis. 3 July 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  7. ^ "Dutch Delight on French Open Final's Day". Paralympic.org. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  8. ^ "Wagner and Norfolk to contest quad singles final". ITF Tennis. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  9. ^ "Egberink, Jeremiasz win Invacare Doubles Masters". ITF Tennis. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  10. ^ "Vergeer, Norfolk win at Florida Open". ITF Tennis. 10 April 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  11. ^ ITF Tennis – Wheelchair – Articles – Fernandez, Walraven win Trofeo della Mole
  12. ^ ITF Tennis – Wheelchair – Articles – Gerard, Ellerbrock, Hunter claim titles at Sardinia Open
  13. ^ a b ITF Tennis – Wheelchair – Articles – Olsson and Ellerbrock win singles titles in Olot
  14. ^ a b ITF Tennis – Wheelchair – Articles – Weekes, Montjane, Sithole win Gauteng titles
  15. ^ Vergeer continues record-breaking run – Articles – News and Photos – Australian Open Tennis Championships 2012 – Official Site by IBM
  16. ^ "Wagner clinches Japan Open quad title". ITF Tennis. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  17. ^ ITF Tennis – Wheelchair – Articles – Finalists decided at Sardinia Open
  18. ^ "Houdet, Vergeer, Gershony lift Pensacola titles". ITF Tennis. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  19. ^ ITF Tennis – Wheelchair – Articles – Scheffers, Griffioen, Wagner clinch Atlanta Open titles
  20. ^ ITF Tennis – Wheelchair – Articles – McCarroll, Ellerbrock, Lapthorne win in South Africa
  21. ^ "Dutch win 25th World Team Cup women's title". ITF Tennis. Retrieved 27 September 2012.