Lapthorne hopes long awaited Wimbledon debut is just the start

It’s 19 years since Andy Lapthorne first came to Wimbledon – and, wide-eyed, shared a lift with a promising young player named Serena Williams.

A few weeks later, at the US Open in New York, she won the first of her Grand Slam titles while Lapthorne stayed up late to watch at home on television.

This weekend, Williams will seek to win her 24th Grand Slam singles title – a place among the immortals of her sport long secure – while Lapthorne finally makes his debut at the All England Club.

The 27-year old two-time Paralympic silver medallist won the US Open four years ago and is a six-time Grand Slam doubles winner but quad players have never appeared on these manicured lawns until this year.

Lapthorne partners American David Wagner in an exhibition match against Australia’s Dylan Alcott and South African Lucas Sithole on Saturday.

And while he is proud of the recognition, he hopes that next year, there’ll be a full status tournament for singles and doubles, enabling him to complete his set of Grand Slam crowns.

“We’ve worked so hard for this recognition and hopefully, it’s just the start because this is the Mecca of tennis,” said Lapthorne.

“At times, I thought it would never be possible but good people never stopped believing it could happen.

“Our job is to put on a competitive show and persuade officials to integrate quad players in the same way they do at the Australian and US Open.

“I’ve played on Centre Court at the Aussie Open against Dylan with 6,000 Aussies screaming against me – it would be nice to have the rematch with the home crowd on my side.”

Peter Norfolk, who carried the British flag at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics, was such a dominant force in his sport they nicknamed him the ‘Quadfather’.

He won seven Grand Slam singles titles and two Paralympic golds but always regretted never playing at Wimbledon, who first introduced a wheelchair doubles tournament in 2005.

“Peter is a great friend of mine and he did it all but he never got the chance to do this,” added Lapthorne.

“He knows how hard I’ve worked for this moment. He also tells me: ‘Don’t stop. Make sure you get an event in. We want ranking points, we want prize money, we want competitive tennis at Wimbledon - not just an exhibition tournament’.

“I’ve played with Pete, who’s a legend of the game, and now I get the opportunity to play with David Wagner, who’s also a legend.

“I’ve been very lucky with my partners but to complete the set of Grand Slam titles would be amazing – it’s any kid’s dream to do that.”

And if anyone in tennis proves that anything is possible, it’s the player Lapthorne briefly met nearly two decades ago.

“I really hope that Serena wins because it would be an amazing story,” he added.

“She’s incredible champion and she shows that with hard work and dedication your dreams will come true.

“She’s an inspiration to me. To do what she’s done – to have a child and come back; to still have the hunger to go out and do it is something that I find unbelievable.

“After all those years, it would be pretty special to say I won at the same Wimbledon as her.”