January to February 2011

Lucy’s 2011 season has started with a tour down under in Oz, with 4 tournaments scheduled, beginning in Queensland, continuing in Adelaide, the Australian Open and finishing in Sydney.

Unfortunately this tour has been plagued with an injury to Lucy’s right forearm, and after reaching the semi final of the Queensland Open, Lucy had to withdraw. Numerous treatments, injections and physio treatment finally ended with a diagnosis of a tear in a tendon in her forearm and has put Lucy in rehab for the next few months.

 

October to November 2010

Lucy had to withdraw from the Nott’s indoors tournament thro injury and began rehab in order to be fit for the Singles Masters in Holland. This event is made up of the top 8 ladies singles players in the World, and like the able bodied event, players are divided into 2 groups. With preparation for the tournament being far from ideal Lucy fortunately found great form.

Lucy drew Dani Di Toro, world number 2 in her first pool match, closely losing out 3-6, 4-6. However, went on to play Jiske Griffioen from the Netherlands, and world no4 in her second match and taking her first victory over her 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. Lucy played and won her final match against Marjolein Buis 6-1, 7-6 (5). With 3 players each winning 2 matches and losing 1 the positions to go through to the semi final were so close, and decided only by a few points. Unfortunately Lucy narrowly lost out on playing for position 1-4 and went on to take 6th place overall.

Continuing on to the Doubles Masters, partnering up with fellow brit Jordanne Whiley, this event consists of the top 4 doubles pairs in the world competing for the title. In the group event Shuker/Whiley had a tough first match against top seeds Van Koot/Walraven pushing them all the way, narrowly losing out 3-6, 6-0, 5-7. Their second match proved once again a close one against Buis/Ellerbrock 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, but this time coming out as victors, and then winning their final match against Okabe/Domori 6-2, 6-2. Winning 2 out of the 3 group matches put them into the final once again against the top pair Van Koot/Walraven. Once again the 2 doubles pairs fought the match out but the top seeds came out on top to clinch the title 5-7, 3-6.

 

September 2010

September for Lucy consisted of the USA/Canadian tour, starting in St Louis. Lucy drew a tough first round match against World No 7 Annick Sevenans but came through it in fine form 6-3, 6-1. Going through to the quarter final Lucy came up against World No 2 Sharon Walraven closely losing out 3-6, 4-6. In the doubles event Lucy partnered up with Dani Di Toro, winning their semi final against Matthewson/Whiley 6-0, 6-2, going into the final against Walraven/Griffioen losing 1-6, 3-6.

Continuing her tour Lucy flew to Montreal in Canada as top seed. Lucy had great form and dominated the event, winning against Emmy Kaiser 6-0, 6-1, Yuko Okabe 6-2, 6-1, and taking the final against Katharina Kruger 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-1. Partnering up with fellow brit Jordanne Whiley, they maintained their top seed position and won the title, by winning their semi final against Mardonez/Ortiz 6-2, 6-0 and the final against Kruger/Okabe 6-2, 6-0.

Lucy’s last of the USA tour took her to Hilton Head Island, again as top seed. Drawing Arlette Racineux first round and winning 6-2, 6-2, then came head to head against fellow Brit and doubles partner Jordanne Whiley. This was a tough match which lasted close to 3 hours in high temperatures, and saw Lucy edging out a victory 7-5, 7-5. The final was then contested between Lucy and Emmy Kaiser, who had taken out the tournament’s second seed Katharina Kruger in the semi final. Lucy won the first set quite easily 6-2 but then Kaiser found great form and pushed Lucy all the way to the end, with Lucy narrowly winning 7-6 in a tie break (7-4).

Partnering up with Whiley in the doubles, the British pair dominated the event with a walk over in the semi final due to injury against McLean/Williams, and going straight into the final against Kaiser/Mardones with a tough close match going to 3 sets with the British pair eventually coming out as the winners 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

 

July to August 2010

July and August is a busy time for Lucy consisting of 3 tournaments.

The first beginning in Switzerland with the Swiss Open where Lucy drew the Italian Lauro first round and dominated 6-0, 6-2. The quarter final brought Shuker up against fellow brit Whiley and the pair fought the first set out with Shuker taking it in the tie break 7-4. Once again Whiley pushed Shuker all the way but lost out 6-4 in the second set. Coming up against top seed Van Koot in the semi final, Shuker struggled to find her form and eventually lost out 2-6, 4-6.

Partnering up with Germany’s Kruger, they reached the final, winning their earlier matches against Buehler/Rusnak 6-0, 6-1, and Domori/Okabe 6-3, 6-3. The top 2 seeds fought it out with Sevenans/Van Koot winning 4-6, 2-6.

Coming back to home soil Lucy competed in the British Open, with an opening win against Francisca Mardones 6-1, 6-1 but drawing top seed and World Number 1 Esther Vergeer in the quarters. Despite close games, Lucy lost out 0-6, 1-6.

Partnering up with Bronze Medallist Florence Gravellier for their last time as she was retiring, they won their quarter final against Martinez/Whiley 6-2, 6-4. The semi final brought them up against the Dutch pair Griffioen/Buis which they fought out eventually winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 and putting them into the final against Van Koot/Sevenans. This proved to be an epic match, with Van Koot/Sevenans taking the opening set 6-3. However, Shuker/Gravellier drew level taking the second set 4-6. But the Belgian/Dutch pair went onto win the title taking the third set 6-3.

Lucy then moved onto Belgium where she found great form. Winning her first match against Kitty Schulpen 6-1, 6-1 Lucy then drew top seed Van Koot in the quarters. With the 2 battling it out, Shuker took the first set 6-1, Van Koot came back taking the second set 1-6 - the game was level. Shuker dug deep and dominated the third set taking it 6-3. Through into the semi final, Shuker came up against Kruger and won the first set easily 6-2, however, Shuker went down 2-5 in the second set, but managed to battle back and won 7-5. Through to her first ITF1 final Shuker came up against Sevenans from hosting country Belgium. Continuing her good form, Shuker took the title in a gripping match 6-1, 6-4 making it her first ITF1 Singles career title.

Partnering up with Walraven in the doubles, they won their semi final against Ellerbrock/Kruger 7-5, 6-3. Moving into the final, the pair came up against Sevenans/Van Koot and proved to be an epic match. The first set went to their opponents in a tie break 5-7, but Shuker/Walraven came back to take the second set 6-2. The third and final set was fought out all the way to the end with it going once again to a tie break, but this time Shuker/Walraven took the set and the match 11-9.

The last of this tour took Lucy to Salzburg. Shuker opened up the tournament taking her first match against Sommerfeld 6-0, 6-0. With rain delays and moving inside, Shuker came up against the Dutch player Buis, and the 2 went head to head with Buis taking the opening set 4-6. Lucy fought hard and found her form and eventually took the second and third set 6-4, 6-2. This put Lucy with a re match of the Belgian Final against Sevenans, but unfortunately after taking the first set in a tie break, Shuker lost the second and third set 2-6, 2-6.

After losing to Sevenans, Shuker then partnered up with her in the doubles and the pair dominated their first and second matches winning easily against Fink/Koosz 6-2, 6-0, and Jacinto/Lauro 6-0, 6-0. The top 2 seeds then fought it out in the final with Buis/Walraven taking the opening set 4-6, but Shuker/Sevenans came back to equal the score and take the second set 6-3. Despite going up 5-4 in the third set, Buis/Walraven fought hard and took the third set in a tie break 7-2.

 

May to July 2010

Lucy has had a busy few months.... In May she flew off to Japan where she drew a former top 10 player Sakhorn Khantasit where she narrowly lost 5-7, 6-7... She then went on to Korea where she beat Domori 6-3, 6-0 in round 16, continuing her form to beat Cho 6-0, 6-0 and where she then faced second seed Dani Di Toro in the semi finals where Lucy lost 6-1, 6-4. Lucy then partnered Dani Di Toro in the doubles where they beat Imaizumi and Inoue 6-2, 6-0 in the quarter finals. In the semis they beat Ishimoto and Ueno 6-0, 6-2. Dani and Lucy then played the final against the Korean pair Hwand and Park narrowly losing 3-6, 3-6.
On Lucy's return she had to go into hospital for an operation which put her out for a few weeks, having to withdraw from the Polish Open, New York and Atlanta.

Lucy started again going to Paris to compete in the Super Series Tournament drawing the third seed Aniek Van Koot in the first round. Lucy was on great form beating her in a tough 3 setter 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. She then drew another seed Kruger in the quarter finals but once again beating her 6-1, 6-3. This then drew Lucy against the top seed Walraven where she narrowly lost in the second set tie break having come back from 4-1 down eventually going down 2-6, 6-7.
As a last minute partnership, Lucy partnerred french woman Schoenn winnin their first quarter final match against the french duo Portier and Yamani 6-1, 6-0. This put them into the semi final against the second seeds Griffieon and Walraven where they lost 3-6, 1-6

Lucy continued the following week to Wimbledon where she was partnering Dani Di Toro for the inaugral womens wheelchair tennis doubles which has the top 4 womens doubles pairs competing for the title. Lucy and Dani drew the second seeds Griffioen and Alix-Gravellier in the re match of last years semi final match. Once again Dani and Lucy dominated in a 3 setter eventually winning 7-6, 3-6, 6-3. Putting them into the final against the dutch piar and top seed Vergeer and Walraven. Unfortunately Shuker and Di Toro struggled to find their form and lost 2-6, 3-6 but both are quoted as saying it was an amazing experience to be competing on Show Court 5 at 12pm before the mens final on the final Sunday.