BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Nick Taylor and David Wagner from the United
States won the quad doubles title at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games
wheelchair tennis event on Saturday.
The Americans, who also won the gold medal at Athens in 2004, beat unseeded
Israeli pair Boas Kramer and Shraga Weinberg 6-0, 4-6, 6-2.
The Israelis saved three match points at 5-0 down in the third set and
tried to mount a comeback, but failed in the end.
"A lot goes through you mind at that moment," Wagner said of the medal
ceremony. "To see our flag raised in the middle as champions, as the best, to
know that was being raised and the song was being played in our honour, it was
highly emotional.
"It's hard not to have a few tears in your eyes, especially after a long
couple weeks here away from home. It just gives you a little piece of home," he
added.
In an earlier match lasting nearly three hours, British quad doubles pair
Jamie Burdekin and Peter Norfolk won the bronze medal after defeating Dorrie
Timmermans Van Hall and Boas Van Erp from the Netherlands 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-1.
The American pair Taylor and Wagner were pitted against each other earlier
on Saturday in the quad singles bronze medal playoff, with Wagner winning out
with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 victory.
"I think it helps and it hurts at the same time (being friends with
Taylor). He knows where I'm going before I do and I know he's going before he
does," said Wagner, the world number one quad singles player.
In the women's singles bronze medal match, fifth seed Florence Gravellier
from France beat fourth seed Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4.
It's Gravellier's first Paralympic medal. She challenged for the bronze at
Athens in 2004, but at that time lost to Australian Daniela Toro.