Peter Norfolk
![]() Peter Norfolk at the 2011 US Open. | |
Country (sports) | ![]() |
---|---|
Residence | Alton, Hampshire |
Born | London | 13 December 1960
Turned pro | 1991 |
Retired | 2013 |
Official website | Official website |
Singles | |
Career record | 256–38 |
Highest ranking | No.1 (29 September 2003) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | W (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012) |
US Open | W (2007, 2009) |
Other tournaments | |
Masters | W (2006, 2009, 2010) |
Paralympic Games | ![]() |
Doubles | |
Career record | 127–55 |
Highest ranking | No.1 (12 September 2011) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Australian Open | W (2011, 2012) |
US Open | F (2007, 2009, 2010) |
Other doubles tournaments | |
Masters Doubles | W (2003, 2004, 2010) |
Paralympic Games | ![]() |
World Team Cup | ![]() |
Peter Robert Norfolk
He has multiple Grand Slam and Super Series titles, and competed for Great Britain at the
Early life
Norfolk was born in London on 13 December 1960.
Tennis career
Norfolk became a wheelchair tennis player at the age of 30, having seen a demonstration at Stoke Mandeville.[2] He competes in the quad division. This means he competes against other players with a disability in at least three limbs. He plays with a tennis racket taped to his hand,[3] and competes in the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour.[4]
He was the first person ever to win a Paralympic medal for Britain in tennis when he took gold in the quads singles at the
He represented Great Britain again at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, winning gold in the singles event[6] and bronze in doubles with Jamie Burdekin.[7] He sees the defeat in the semi-final as the biggest disappointment in his tennis career.[1]
In the 2010 season, he missed out on finishing overall as world number one by eight ranking points, despite winning the end of season Wheelchair Masters tournament. He beat Wagner 6–3, 7–6 (7–4), but his opponent ended the season one place above him in the rankings.
He regained the Australian Open title in 2012, beating Wagner in the final and becoming world number one once more. It marked his fifth victory at the grand slam tournament. He was also victorious once more in the doubles, teaming with Lapthorne again to defeat Wagner and his partner Noam Gershony.[10]
He carried the torch in Liverpool during the
Norfolk has multiple Super Series titles.[3] He has finished the year as world number one on five occasions, and won the Team World Cup three times.[4] He has a rivalry with Wagner, with the two swapping the number one and number two ranked positions in the quad division on a regular basis.[1] Norfolk was awarded the Carl Aarvold Award for International Achievement by the Lawn Tennis Association in 2012.[14] Norfolk was voted to carry the British flag at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games in London.[15] Norfolk announced his retirement in January 2013.[16] He was part of Channel Four's commentary team for the Tokyo Paralympics that were held in 2021.[16]
Personal life
In 1989, Peter founded a company called Equipment for the Physically Challenged, which specialises in mobility equipment for physically disabled people. He is married to a sports physiotherapist named Linda, and has two children. He was named a
Grand Slam titles
- Singles
- Doubles
References
- General
- "Peter Norfolk OBE". Paralympics UK. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- "Peter Norfolk". ITF Tennis. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- Specific
- ^ a b c d e f "Peter Norfolk". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Peter Norfolk". The Tennis Foundation. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Paralympic challengers: Peter Norfolk". BBC Sport. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ a b "Peter Norfolk". Sport England. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Peter Norfolk". London 2012. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Wheelchair Tennis Day 7 Review: Defending champions prevail". The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. 14 September 2008. Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2008.
- ^ "Wheelchair Tennis Day 6 Review: Second Quad Doubles event in Paralympic history draws to a close". The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. 14 September 2008. Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2008.
- ^ "Norfolk wins Wheelchair Masters, Vergeer reaches 400". BBC Sport. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ a b "Britain's Peter Norfolk beaten in Australian Open final". BBC Sport. 29 January 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Australian Open: Peter Norfolk wins quad singles title". BBC Sport. 28 January 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ Hudson, Elizabeth (6 May 2012). "Peter Norfolk and Esther Vergeer win in Eton Manor test event". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ Davies, Gareth A (19 June 2012). "London 2012 Paralympics: 'Quadfather' Peter Norfolk heads ParalympicsGB wheelchair tennis team". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Paralympian Peter Norfolk feels London 2012 pressure". BBC Sport. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Peter Norfolk presented with Carl Aarvold Award for International Achievement". Lawn Tennis Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Paralympics 2012: Peter Norfolk to carry GB flag at opening ceremony". BBC Sport. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- ^ a b "History Makers: Peter Norfolk". Lawn Tennis Association. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ "2005 Birthday Honours". The London Gazette.
- ^ "No. 59090". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 12 June 2009. p. 12.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Peter Norfolk at the International Tennis Federation
- Peter Norfolk at the International Paralympic Committee
- 'The Quadfather' Peter Norfolk's Official Website
- Peter Norfolk on X
- EPC Wheelchairs Peter Norfolk's UK-Based Wheelchair company