Dutch Paralympic tennis players attribute success to country´s support

"If you have an accident or whatever, you have already played tennis before. That makes it easier to go on in the wheelchair," he added.

It seems that the female players of the Netherlands are finding easier access to the world fame than their male peers, taking the top four berths on the world rankings recently.

Current world number one and five-time Paralympic gold medallist Esther Vergeer, who defended her singles title while lost the doubles at Beijing, hails the good work the tennis federation has done in pushing wheelchair tennis.

"We are such a small country that the facilities in Holland are very good. As soon as you have a disability you get a sports chair so you can play sports."

"And we can all train with each other, so we train with the men and also with the girls. I think that is how we keep the level up."

Vergeer, who extended her unbeaten streak to an awe-inspiring 349 matches, a string that dates back 5 and 1/2 years, did mention the welfare they enjoy on the national squad.

"The national federation for tennis is the same federation for wheelchair tennis, so we are treated as equal. The Dutch National Olympic Committee also treats the disabled athletes the same as the able bodied athletes so I think it is a combination of those things," added Vergeer, the greatest wheelchair tennis star of all-time, who took away the Laureus Disability trophy in 2007 and 2008.

Jiske Griffioen, Vergeer's doubles partner and world fourth-ranked player, agrees that the sport is well- organised in the Netherlands.