Shingo Kunieda & Diede de Groot: Wheelchair tennis champs
Did you know that wheelchair tennis is practised in more than 100 countries all over the world? 🌎
Two wheelchair tennis legends, Shingo Kunieda and Diede de Groot, are inspiring the world…
One game – and one record title – at a time! 🏆
![diede de groot holding tennis racket and ball diede de groot holding tennis racket and ball](/Images/diede-de-groot-holding-tennis-racket-and-ball_tcm55-761273.jpg)
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Shingo Kunieda
Born in Tokyo, Japan, Shingo was 9 years old when he underwent surgery that left him unable to use his legs.
He loved basketball, but unfortunately he could not find a wheelchair team to join… But that didn’t stop him from playing basketball with his friends after school!
As they say, where there is a will there’s a way. ❤️
His mother suggested that he try wheelchair tennis instead, and he started playing at 11 – entering his first tournament just 1 year later!
Even though he lost in the 1st round, he had discovered a new passion, and that was a win in itself.
![](/Images/shingo-kunieda-playing-tennis-ball_tcm55-761275.jpg)
His records
Between 2008 and 2010, he broke the record for the most consecutive wheelchair tennis men's singles match wins - 106! 🥳
But that’s not Shingo’s only record. In his 21-year career, he also broke the title for the most Grand Slam wheelchair tennis titles – 50. 🤯
As if that wasn’t enough, he also became the first men’s wheelchair tennis player to complete a singles Career Grand Slam and Career Golden Slam.
"I don’t think of them as wheelchairs; they’re my legs."
- Shingo Kunieda
![](/Images/diede-de-groot-hitting-tennis-ball_tcm55-761271.jpg)
Diede de Groot
Diede started wheelchair tennis at the age of 7 - she was really dedicated and would practise for hours and hours, until she became very agile and strong!🎾
Her first record was being the first wheelchair tennis player to complete a Career Grand Slam in singles.
But she didn’t stop there…
A Golden Slam is one of the rarest and hardest achievements in tennis – it means that one player won all four major tennis titles plus an Olympic or Paralympic gold, all in one year. 🥇
Sounds impossible, and yet, that’s exactly what Diede did, gaining the record for the first wheelchair tennis Golden Slam in singles!
![](/Images/diede-de-groot-holding-gwr-certificates_tcm55-761272.jpeg)
More records
As you can tell, unstoppable Diede has broken a few more records since, including becoming the first consecutive calendar-year Grand Slam tennis champion.
At the age of just 26, there’s no telling just how many titles Diede can go on to collect!
Can you make a guess? 🤔
Even so, Diede says that it’s not about chasing numbers and we couldn’t agree more – what’s more important is chasing your passions and always trying your best. 🧡
You can find out more about Shingo and Diede's amazing records in Guinness World Records 2024, out now!
"I’m not chasing numbers… Maybe I get them, maybe I don’t, [but] I don’t want that to affect how I view my career."
- Diede de Groot
![shingo and diede shingo and diede](/Images/shingo-and-diede_tcm55-761274.jpg)