The year-end championship of the wheelchair tennis circuit is known as the Wheelchair Tennis Masters. The inaugural edition of the event was held in 1999. It featured both men’s and women’s singles events. In 2003, the event was open for quads which sees men and women face each other on the court together. Starting in 2000, the year-ending championships feature a doubles competition as well.
Just like the ATP Masters and the WTA Championships, the Wheelchair Tennis Masters sees 8 of the best players of the season compete in a round-robin format. In the quads category, the best six players of the season are chosen. In doubles, 8 men’s team, 6 women’s team and 4 quads team play each other for the year-end title. The event is played in a round-robin format followed by the knockout stages.
The first 17 editions of the event of the singles event were held in three different cities of Netherlands. Since then, the tournament has been held twice in Belgium, thrice in the United Kingdom and four times in the United States of America. In 2022, the tournament returned to Netherlands, making Oss the fourth Dutch city after Eindhoven, Amersfoort and Amsterdam to host the event. The doubles events have been held in three Dutch cities, three Italian cities and once in the United States of America.
Before Uniqlo, the tournament has seen notable title sponsors like NEC, Invacare and Camozzi.
RECORDS
As of 2023, Robin Ammerlaan holds the record for winning the most titles among the men. The Dutch has won six titles. In the women’s singles category, Esther Vergeer has won the most titles – 14. This includes an unprecedented streak of 14 consecutive titles between 1998 to 2011. David Wagner is the most successful quad player in the year-ending championships, having won eleven titles.
Stephane Houdet has been a part of six year-ending championship teams in men’s doubles. In women’s doubles, Esther Vergeer has been a part of nine winning doubles teams, five of each came with compatriot Jiske Griffioen. In the quads category, David Wagner has been a part of eleven winning doubles team.
