Shingo Kunieda

Shingo Kunieda (国枝 慎吾, Kunieda Shingo; born February 21, 1984) is a Japanese former wheelchair tennis player. With four Paralympic gold medals, 28 major singles titles – an all-time record in singles of any tennis discipline – and 50 major titles overall, Kunieda is widely considered the greatest male wheelchair player of all time.

Kunieda was the ITF World Champion from 2007 to 2010. He was also the year-end No. 1 in doubles in 2007. In 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, and 2015, Kunieda won all three singles majors that hosted wheelchair singles events (Wimbledon did not do so until 2016). In 2007 and 2008, Kunieda also won three of the four Masters series events. Kunieda is the only male player to retain the men's singles title at the Paralympics – he took the gold medal in 2008, 2012 and 2020. In addition, Kunieda won the gold medal in the 2004 men's doubles, and has been part of two World Team Cup wins. He has 103 career titles over singles and doubles combined, including 50 majors.

Kunieda had a three-year, 106-match consecutive win streak. The streak began after his loss at the 2007 Masters and ended to Stéphane Houdet in the semifinals of the 2010 Masters. In late 2012 to early 2013, Kunieda had a win streak of 44 matches. Between January 2014 and December 2015, Kunieda was on yet another winning streak of 77 matches, ending to Joachim Gérard in the round-robin phase of the 2015 NEC Masters tournament.

Kunieda is a right-handed player whose favorite surface is hard court.^{[citation needed]} He was coached by Hiromichi Maruyama. He announced his retirement in January 2023.

Due to a tumor in his spinal cord found when he was 9, he is paralyzed in the lower half of his body. Kunieda uses an Ox Engineering wheelchair. He graduated from Reitaku University in Japan, and now works for Reitaku University.

Won Prostějov, Daegu, Seoul, First Super Series title in Fukuoka Lost in the semifinals of the US Open despite having three match points. Lost final of USD Open doubles. Won in Atlanta, San Diego and Hiroshima. Runner up at the masters. Loss San Diego with Houdet. Won Hiroshima with Fujimoto. At the Masters lost in the semis with Ammerlaan but went on to claim third. runner up in Nottingham Won Wimbledon. Won Paris Deagu Seoul

Kunieda started 2007 by returning to number one in the world as he won the Australian Open in a three set match. He won the other Masters events at the Grand Slams with titles in Paris and New York. Won in Boca Raton, Fukuoka, Notiingham, Utrecht, San Diego, He also made finals in Sydney, Prostějov, Paris, However he could only reach the semifinals in Atlanta and the Masters. Kunieda finished the year as the World Champion. With Ammerlaan he won Australian Open, their first Masters title as a team. At the other Masters, Kunieda lost in the final of Roland Garros and Wimbledon but won in New York with Saida. With Jeremiasz he won the doubles in Sydney. He also partnered with Saida as they won in Boca Raton, Fukuoka, Paris, Nottingham and Atlanta. Lost in Utrecht and San Diego finals as a team. As a team they could only reach the semifinals at the masters. Kunieda was part of the Japanese team that won the World Team Cup.

2008 saw Kunieda win both of the Masters titles which were on offer in Melbourne and Paris. Kunieda also won titles in Pensacola, Boca Raton, Fukuoka and Nottingham. At the Paralympics Kunieda won the title. With Saida he won the Australian Open. As a team they also won titles in Pensacola, Boca Raton, Fukuoka, Lost in Nottingham. At the 2008 Paralympics Kunieda and Saida lost in the semifinals but went on to claim the bronze medal. With Scheffers he won Roland Garros. Kunieda made both finals in Sydney but was unable to play in them due to rain. Kunieda was named the ITF World Champion for 2008.