As Shuker took to the courts for her sixth US Open appearance many wheelchair tennis players were making their debuts at Flushing Meadows with the introduction of increased draw sizes as well as a junior Wheelchair Tennis draw.
Shuker, like many others that have gone before her, is a huge advocate for advancements in the visibility and profile of wheelchair tennis and believes this is an incredible moment for wheelchair tennis and its future.
Lucy started playing Internationally in 2003 after a motorbike accident left her paralysed from the chest down in 2001 and has seen the game grow from its first introduction into all of the tennis Grand Slam's in 2007 to 2022 where Roland Garros increased draw sizes to Men's (12) Women's (12) and Quads (8) while the US Open expanded the Men's and Women's draws further to 16.
"This is huge for the future of wheelchair tennis" said Shuker, "The ability for more wheelchair tennis players to make an income playing the sport is massive and will only increase individual investment to push the sport forwards. It is an exciting time and the level of our sport is only going to increase."
A four time Paralympian, Lucy has become somewhat of a legend of the game. Arguably the most disabled competitor in the women's division she has continued to push her limits and find ways to compete against competitors who are physically more advantaged on the court. This is set to be her legacy in a career that has spanned over 20 years and seen her hit many major milestones and make the history books.
In 2013, Lucy became the first British wheelchair tennis player to compete at all four major Grand Slams in the same calendar year. Alongside Jordanne Whiley in the women's doubles she has won two Paralympic Bronze and one Paralympic Silver medal representing Great Britain, while on the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Circuit, Shuker's success has surpassed 100 International Career titles.
Shuker's 2022 US Open campaign unfortunately opened with a tough draw against World No.1 and the eventual 2022 Champion, Diede De Groot.