Satoshi Saida
Japanese wheelchair tennis player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Satoshi Saida (斎田 悟司, Saida Satoshi; born March 26, 1972 in Yokkaichi, Mie) is a Japanese pioneering wheelchair tennis player and 2004 Summer Paralympics gold medalist (Men's doubles with Shingo Kunieda).
Japan | |
| Country (sports) | Japan |
|---|---|
| Residence | Mie Preti, Japan |
| Born | March 26, 1972 Kashiwa City, Japan |
| Plays | Right Handed |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 486–163 |
| Highest ranking | No.3 (11 August 2003) |
| Current ranking | No.23 (18 September 2017) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 446–99 |
| Highest ranking | No.1 (18 November 2002) |
| Current ranking | No.28 (18 September 2017) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (2008) |
| Wimbledon | W (2006) |
| US Open | W (2007) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Masters Doubles | W (2003, 2004) |
| Paralympic Games |  Gold Medal (2004) Bronze Medal (2008, 2016) |
Medal record | |
Saida, a big baseball enthusiast in his childhood, lost his left leg because of bone cancer at age twelve.[1] At first, he used to play wheelchair basketball with his friends.[1][2] Saida started his career in wheelchair tennis when he was fourteen years old.[3]
As a competitor, his first Paralympics was the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, USA; at the succeeding games in Sydney, Australia, he got eighth place.[4] With Shingo Kunieda, he participated in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece, and won the men's doubles event.[5] The two competed together again at the 2008 Beijing Games and took bronze in the doubles event.[6]
